We welcome Rep. Young, who represents the 16th District in the Michigan House, to talk about the importance of the bill package she is leading, to put animals into the picture when judges are sentencing defendants who have been convicted for animal crimes.
The Michigan Sentencing Guidelines is a system for determining the minimum sentence for most felonies (the maximum sentence is set by law). It’s essentially a grading system which assigns points based on a defendant’s prior record, and on the various circumstances of the crime (called “Offense Variables” or “OVs”). The more OVs present, the more points are assigned and the longer the minimum sentence that is imposed.
Currently, animals are not mentioned in the OVs. This is the main reason that even the most heinous crimes against animals, including those with a 10 year maximum sentence, result in no jail time. Rep. Young’s bill package aims to correct that.
The package of seven bills, H.B’s. 5587 through 5593, revises Michigan’s Sentencing Guidelines to add companion animals who have been harmed in connection with the crime. This would allow judges to take into account harm to animals in determining the minimum sentence. The bills would amend OV categories of physical injury to a victim, aggravated physical abuse, aggravated use of weapon, and criminal sexual penetration to include companion animals as capable of suffering these injuries; and would take into account the number of victims. In other words, when any of these variables are present in a crime involving a companion animal, points would be added, and therefore result in a longer sentence.
Rep. Young talked about how she was able to get bi-partisan sponsorship for all 7 bills; and how she was able to get almost 20 co-sponsors for each bill.
It starts with relationships. Everything that happens in Lansing … it usually starts with relationships. When you want to get good policy changes implemented, you want to start by finding out what people’s interests are. … I believe we have a good opportunity to lean in on those areas of common ground to get things done. And that is what we did with this bill package.
Rep. Stephanie Young, Lunch + Legislation, May 6, 2024
She also discussed how her faith influenced her advocacy for animals — as well as people:
I’m a licensed and ordained minister. … So what is does for me is that I lean in on the overall care and concern for people. … And people are responsible for animals. And that responsibility is to do right by those other creations.
Rep. Young spoke lovingly about her dog, Spirit, and even said she tells people she has three sons, 2 are two-legged and one is four-legged.
