Snyder signs bills helping offenders successfully transition back to society

LANSING, Mich. - Gov. Rick Snyder has signed legislation requiring the Department of Corrections (DOC) to assist prisoners in obtaining certain state identification documents, improving chances for employment upon their release.

The bills require the DOC to provide prisoners released at the end of their sentence or on parole with a prisoner identification card. The Department of State must accept these cards as one of several identification documents required to obtain a state ID card or driver's license. The bills codify several practices already used by the DOC and Secretary of State.

"Proper identification is required when applying for a job. In many cases, though, people who have been incarcerated don't have access to the personal documentation needed to obtain an ID, which hurts their chances for employment. This new law builds on the work of the DOC and Secretary of State by helping released offenders become productive members of society."

The bipartisan legislative package includes four bills:

- House Bill 4074, sponsored by state Rep. Margaret O'Brien;
- H.B. 4075, sponsored by state Rep. Mike Shirkey;
- H.B. 4076, sponsored by state Rep. Kurt Damrow;
- H.B. 4077, sponsored by state Rep. Ben Glardon.

The bills now are Public Acts 24-27 of 2012.

Snyder also recently signed legislation to allow for electronic filing of an application for a certificate or license for a vessel, watercraft, off-road recreation vehicles and snowmobiles. H.B. 5136, sponsored by state Rep. Wayne Schmidt, now is P.A. 28 of 2012.

Detailed information on the bills is available at www.legislature.mi.gov.

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