LANSING (WXYZ) — Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Thursday a bill that will limit civil asset forfeiture for people who have not yet been convicted of a crime.
Senate Bill 2 and House Bills 4001 and 4002, passed nearly unanimously. The effort aims to increase property protections for citizens.
“I’m proud that Michigan is joining several other states in revising our civil asset forfeiture laws to increase property protections for citizens,” Whitmer said. “These bills will ensure due process and strengthen the integrity of our justice system by requiring a criminal conviction before forfeiture proceedings can begin.”
As it stands, law enforcement officers can seize property if they have probable cause. The state was then legally allowed to keep confiscated property, sell it and give those proceeds to the law enforcement agency that seized the property.
The bills were sponsored by Senator Peter Lucido and Representatives Jason Wentworth and David LaGrand. The new law will take effect 90 days after being signed.
