95.3 / 88.5 FM Grand Rapids and 95.3 FM Muskegon
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Michigan Senate inches homeless youth, human trafficking bills closer to final vote

Michigan Senate Chamber
State of Michigan
/
michigan.gov
Michigan Senate Chamber

The Michigan Senate moved bills to give organizations that serve homeless youth more time to reach a child’s guardian closer to a final vote Thursday.

Currently, homeless youth organizations have only have 24 hours to get permission from a guardian to serve a homeless or runaway child.

The package would extend that window to 72 hours.

Democratic state Senator Jeff Irwin says he hopes it sees a vote soon.

“I think these are sensible bills that have a lot of support and they need to move forward because we’ve got folks in our communities all over Michigan who are stepping up to help kids who are in need and kids who are in danger and we need to make sure that the rules for them are fair and appropriate and sensible and practical.”

Critics of the package have said the bills would infringe upon parental rights.