Bills to address sexual assault in Michigan move to the full House. Bills to mandate giving bicyclists room when passing are approved by the state Senate. Alcohol is banned from Calhoun County parks.
Long debated bills aimed at curbing sexual assault in the state made a big step forward Wednesday. Most of the bills in the package werevoted out of a House committee. The legislation does things like require education in schools about sexual assault and encourage colleges and universities to improve their sexual assault policies. Other bills would create new crimes related to sexual assault. But the legislation passed by the House committee leaves out things some state Senators wanted. One item involves who is required to report suspected child abuse. The current bills only add physical therapists, their assistants, and athletic trainers. Republican Senator Margaret O’Brien of Portage also wanted bus drivers and paid coaches to be so-called mandatory reporters along with athletic trainers The more than two dozen bills now head to the state House for a vote.
The state Senate has approved legislation that would require drivers to give bicyclists three feet when passing them on the road. The bills would also mandate that teenagers in their first driver training courses receive an hour of instruction on safe passing. The Gongwer News Service reports two of the bills passed unanimously Wednesday, while the two others passed with one “no” vote. The legislation now goes to the House. The bills are in response to the 2016 crash north of Kalamazoo that left five bicyclists dead and four others seriously injured. The driver of the pickup truck that slammed into the bicyclists, Charles Pickett Jr. was convicted earlier this month of second-degree murder and other charges. Pickett faces up to life in prison, when he is sentenced June 11th.
Calhoun County is banning alcohol from all four parks that it operates. The Battle Creek Enquirer says the county commission amended rules based on recommendations of the county’s parks and recreation commission. Special use permits had allowed alcohol in county parks. But Calhoun County administrator Kelli Scott says it was difficult to enforce those rules and determine who had a permit for consuming alcohol.
Bills on their way to Governor Rick Snyder's desk would set up three new panels to oversee environmental regulation in Michigan. Critics say the bills would allow industry to have outsized influence on decision-making. The bills' Republican sponsors say they'll give citizens more of a say in environmental policy and bring accountability to the DEQ. (Michigan Radio)
A Miranda warning to suspects who are arrested and questioned can’t simply state they have the right to an attorney. In Michigan, it must include that the attorney can be in the room before and during interrogations. That ruling came Wednesday from a divided Michigan Court of Appeals panel. The court ruled that police interviews with a murder suspect can’t be used because their Miranda warning fell short. The Oakland County murder case will now proceed to trial unless the prosecutor appeals the decision to the Michigan Supreme Court.
Campsites are going fast for Memorial Day weekend in Michigan. Nearly 90 percent of all campsites in state parks have been booked. The past several years have seen similar trends, with capacity hitting the 90 percent range last year and just a little below that in years prior. The Chief of the Resource Protection and Promotion section for the parks and recreation division of the Department of Natural Resources Jason Fleming says the majority of the openings are in the Upper Peninsula due to lower temperatures and more rustic campgrounds. He says there are still some sites open in the Lower Peninsula, but they’re expected to go quick.