Legislative Wins
In the 2023/2024 Term, Representative O'Neal worked hard for his community.
4
Public Acts
41
Bills Introduced
500+
Bills Co-Sponsored
Public Act 200'23
House Bills 4945 and 4946 of 2023
These bills will ensure people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence offenses are prohibited from purchasing and possessing firearms for up to seven years.
Domestic violence and gun violence are deeply interconnected, impacting communities
across the U.S. It is time Michigan catches up with this legislative win.
Public Act 213'23
House Bills 4273 of 2023
When an apartment complex is condemned there were not enough protections for tenants to receive proper notification. Tenants need to have more transparency with their landlords and be able to prepare for unpredicted situations that could cause serious harm.
This bill will better ensure that tenants are better protected and properly notified of violations that could cause them serious harm.
Public Act 290'23
House Bills 4629 of 2023
This bill was signed into law along with many others in a large package that was based on recommendations from the 2021 bipartisan Juvenile Justice Task Force, formed by Governor Whitmer and led by Lieutenant Governor
Gilchrist.
House Bill 4629 requires the use of a detention screening tool to inform decisions to place a youth in secure detention
Public Act 32'24
House Bill 5215
Now known as the Michigan Family Protection Act, House Bills 5207-5215 were signed into law in the Spring of 2024.
These bills will allow for Michigan to participate in compensated surrogacy agreements.
Sponsored Legislation
House Bill 4308
Sickle Cell Fundraising License Plate
This will create a fundraising license plate recognizing sickle cell anemia education and treatment.
There have been many donors from friends and relatives of Sickle Cell Patients to corporate sponsors who have contributed to this cause and are anxiously awaiting their opportunity to see their money in action and have an opportunity to purchase a Sickle Cell Disease Awareness license plate.
Thousands of Michigan’s children would benefit, not only from the revenue generated, but also from the highly visible show of public support the license plate would create.
House Bill 4165
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Equipment Funding
For the second term in a row, this legislation has been introduced to change the funding formula for CTE equipment funding in Michigan.
Under current law, only a handful of districts in the state qualify for this funding, leaving most of our state without this needed support. As technology continues to advance, CTE programs need to be supported in this more equitable way.
House Bill 4162
Banning Juvenile Life Without Parole (JLWOP)
For the second term, this package has been introduced as a bipartisan effort to ban JLWOP and allow for parole eligibility after 10 years.
Rehabilitation is so important, and these bills will accomplish this. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court found that sentencing juveniles to mandatory life without parole to be unconstitutional. Since then, 25 states have banned this practice. It is time for Michigan to do the same.
House Bill 5164-5165
Call Center Mobilization Package
These bills were worked on to protect Michigander jobs. The first bill will halt eligibility for special grants and loans to companies that close down a call center in Michigan and send those call center jobs out of the country. The second bill is a registry that keeps track of those companies that partake in that behavior.
There are currently three states that have passed similar legislation. Those are states far separated on the political spectrum that find common ground with these bills. We hope that Michigan will become the fourth state to adopt these acts that protect Michigan jobs.
House Bill 5553
Commercial Fishing
The Michigan United Conservation Clubs have supported the introduction of this bill that will finally modernize the state’s commercial fishing industry, which has seen no major updates to the state's commercial fishing statute since the 1970s.
The bill addresses a long-needed update that would set parameters surrounding commercial fishing, such as licensing fees, gear used and species for harvest. The legislation provides regulation clarity for both the commercial fishing industry and law enforcement. It protects game fish such as lake trout, walleye and yellow perch from commercial harvest and bycatch. These species are reared and managed through angler and hunter dollars, not commercial fishing monies.
House Bill 5689-5693
Jury Reform Package
After many years working with a Jury Task Force, these bills have been introduced to improve our rights to an impartial jury.
The bills will create a statewide jury management system run by the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO). SCAO will develop standard questionnaire language, including information on race and ethnicity to help collect data to further understand the Michigan jury selection process. It will also amend Michigan’s jury selection process to a one-step system, combining qualification questionnaires and the jury summons in the same mailing, with instructions for jurors to return. This will help create a much higher response rate.
This package ensures that every Michigander has a fair trial by a representative jury of their peers. Enhancing the jury selection process strengthens our commitment to a fair and just system.