Committee Meeting Resources

SUPPORTING POSITION: You want to require Michigan law enforcement officers to wear and use a body camera when on duty, in uniform, and carrying a taser or weapon to provide for greater accountability and safety for both public and within law enforcement.

OPPOSING POSITION: You do NOT want to require Michigan law enforcement officers to wear and use a body camera when on duty and carrying a taser or weapon, due to concerns of privacy and the dangers of a blanket policy for all local law enforcement agencies.

Bill & Analysis
Bill and Analysis – HB 5019 Body Cameras

Testimonies
Supporting Arguments – Testimony
Opposing Arguments – Testimony

Additional Resources
Explanatory Article – Pros and Cons of Police Body Cameras
Explanatory Article – Police Body Camera Benefits
Explanatory Article – Police Misconduct and Accountability, 2020
Explanatory Article – Assessing the Effectiveness of Police Body Cameras

SUPPORTING POSITION: You want to allow Newborn Safety Devices (NSDs) to be installed and used at emergency service provider locations in order to ensure the safety of newborns who are being legally abandoned by parents who are unwilling to engage in face-to-face interaction while legally abandoning their child. This bill would amend current Safe Haven Laws which you believe have been effective, but the protections should go one step further.

OPPOSING POSITION: You oppose this bill. You believe that additional complications would arise with this bill including the question of whether the mother is actually the one surrendering the baby, how much additional training must be given to the ones who must monitor the surrender, and the potential increased rates of abandonment as a result. It does not address who will be held liable happens to a baby placed in an NSD as well as requiring standards for NSD to be outlined by the Michigan department of Health after the bill passes, rather than including those standards in the bill itself. This means that no one will know what those standards are until after this bill is signed into law.

Bill & Analysis
Bill and Analysis – HB 5751 Safe Haven Device

Testimonies
Supporting Arguments – Testimony
Opposing Arguments – Testimony

Additional Resources
Explanatory Article – Baby Boxes, Safe Haven Laws: A “Last Resort’ to Curb Infant Abandonment
Explanatory Article – FAQ: Safe Haven Movement, Baby Boxes, and Laws