Michigan lawmakers hear testimony on bills to expand relief for trafficking survivors

The Michigan House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday heard testimony on a package of bills (recorded in the hearing as HB 5009–5013) that would expand criminal-record relief and legal protections for people who were victims of human trafficking.

Chair Lightner (House Judiciary Committee chair) opened the hearing and said the panel would take written testimony and hear representatives, judges, prosecutors and survivors. Representative Breen, who presented the package, said Michigan received 764 national hotline contacts in 2024 that led to 340 identified cases and 585 victims and described the state’s transportation infrastructure, international border and agricultural economy as factors that make the state vulnerable to trafficking.

The bills would: expand adult expungement beyond prostitution-related offenses so more crimes committed under coercion could be set aside; create an affirmative defense for people charged with offenses committed as a direct result of being trafficked; broaden juvenile adjudication relief under HB 5011; require the state to file dependency petitions for minors under HB 5012 (safe-harbor); and authorize qualified expert witnesses to explain trafficking dynamics to judges and juries under HB 5013. Sponsors and advocates said the changes are intended to reduce barriers to housing, employment and services that survivors face.

Prosecutors and a judge supported the package while describing practical benefits and limits. Judge Cheryl Matthews (Oakland County Circuit Court) said she has worked in the court system for decades and that trafficking victims commonly carry drug or theft convictions forced by traffickers. Cindy Brown of the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office and the office’s chief of the trafficking unit described recent cases — including prosecutions of roughly 80 traffickers over five years and a multi-defendant case that identified about 30 victims — and said codifying trafficking-specific defenses and allowing expert testimony would help victims testify and aid prosecutions of primary perpetrators.

Survivors and service providers gave personal testimony. Karen Moore, executive director of Sanctum House, outlined long-term recovery services; survivor Desiree Ray said she completed treatment, served two years in custody for offenses tied to her exploitation, is now a University of Michigan student and argued expungement would improve her ability to obtain housing and employment. Leslie King, a survivor who founded Sacred Beginnings, described being trafficked at 15 and said clearing records had been central to rebuilding her life.

Committee members pressed sponsors on statutory details: why a trafficking-specific affirmative defense is needed when duress exists; who would represent indigent defendants asserting the defense; whether males are affected at comparable rates; and whether removing caps on expungement could allow violent offenses to be cleared. Sponsors and prosecutors replied that trafficking dynamics are not always visible under current defenses, that public defenders or appointed counsel represent indigent defendants as under current law, and that judicial review and statutory qualifiers would limit automatic relief.

No committee votes were recorded on the bills during the hearing. The clerk read multiple written cards supporting the package. Representative Wozniak moved to excuse absent members (no objection) and Chair Lightner adjourned the committee.

The transcript contains extensive survivor testimony and written submissions that are on the record; the committee did not take final action on the bills during this session.