State lawmakers are clashing over legislation to restrict the use of so-called ‘No-Knock’ warrants.
Police use no-knock warrants to surprise suspects. But critics complain some police departments are abusing them, putting innocent people at risk.
State Sen. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) says her bill would require police to consider other options before requesting a no-knock warrant.
“They should have those tools,” says Geiss, “But at the same time, they should be used surgically.very very carefully.”
The bill is before the state Senate Judiciary Committee. At a committee hearing Thursday, Republican senators expressed concern about the effect of the legislation.
State Sen. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington) questioned whether the proposal goes too far.
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IPR s Politics Reporter Max Johnston breaks down what the State of the State address means for northern Michigan.
“I’ll continue to reach out to Republicans here in Lansing,” she said. “While common ground seems less and less common these days, it’s never been more important that we work toward it.”
Republican lawmakers Up North largely welcomed that theme with some hesitancy. Gov. Whitmer also appeared to signal hope in her address tonight, but it remains to be seen whether she is willing to work with the Legislature to restore trust in government and foster a recovery for the state, State Sen. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington) wrote in a press release.
John Levanen / FLICKR
In a scathing letter, several Michigan legislators urged the state Department of Natural Resources to renew all commercial fishing licenses and permits from 2020.
That’s after the DNR announced new restrictions that close the fishery for part of the year and limit the depth where fishers can catch whitefish to 80 feet.
“The whole industry is out of business at that 80 feet,” Dennis VanLandschoot, of VanLandschoot & Sons Fish Market in Munising, told IPR News earlier this month. “We won’t even put our boats in the water.”
These changes would not affect tribal fishers, whose fishing rights are guaranteed under federal treaty.