Eight-year crusade close to fruition
Bill creates public registry for those convicted of child abuse
The Michigan House of Representatives on Tuesday passed Wyatt’s Law as part of a legislative package to combat child abuse.
The House passed the package by lopsided numbers that includes a public registry of those convicted of child abuse, which has
been sought for several years by Erica Hammel of St. Clair Shores whose son, Wyatt, now 9, was severely injured by a woman caring for him in 2013. The woman had a prior childabuse conviction of which Hammel was unaware.
Hammel, who has lobbied for the bill for over six years, said the vote is “very exciting” because it is the first time it has passed the House. It previously had made it through the Senate, including last December, but died in the House. The package now goes to the Senate.
“Passing the House has literally been impossible for me over the years, so yesterday was such a huge monumental moment,” Hammel told The Macomb Daily. “I believe we are in good shape to pass Wyatt’s Law in the Senate and have it officially signed into law next year.”
She believes the Oxford High School shooting contributed to such overwhelming bipartisan support.
“I think the Oxford shooting has awakened everybody to the fact that we need better laws for children,” she said.
Hammel and Christyne Kadlitz, whose child was previously abused by the same woman who assaulted Wyatt, have been working with state Rep. Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores, and other lawmakers to get the bill passed.
“There is no responsibility more important than keeping our children
safe,” Hertel said in a news release. “Too often, parents don’t have the information they need to make decisions about their children’s safety. Millions of children have been victims of abuse, neglect and exploitation. That cannot continue. I am honored to work with Erica and Christyne on raising awareness for this cause, which is close to my heart as well.”
The package would create a public list for those convicted of a child-abuse crime as well as continue
a larger central registry, which has limited availability, maintained by the Department of Health and Human Services that includes more people who have been accused of child abuse but has come under criticism for listing people for minor offenses. It refines how people are added to the central registry and provides a way to get a name removed.
A bill introduced by state Rep. Pamela Hornberger, R-Chesterfield Township, which was part of the package, allows
someone listed on the registry to request the state consider expunging their name. In a press release, Hornberger noted the central registry, which has limited availability, has 300,000 names compared to the sex-offender database, which has 40,000 names.
“When the list is flooded with this many names, it becomes futile and doesn’t serve it’s intended purpose of singling out people who pose a threat to the safety of children,” Hornberger said. “We worked closely with Child Protective Services and the Attorney General to come to this solution of reforming the criteria for placement on the list and establishing a proper expungement process.”
The new registry will include only individuals who likely pose a danger to children based on confirmed previous acts of serious abuse or neglect, including sexual abuse and severe physical abuse, Hornberger said.
“This is about the preservation of child safety. There is no doubt in my mind that these changes will protect children and could potentially even save lives,” Hornberger said. “I’m so proud of the bipartisan support this measure received in the House. We all agree that the current system is broken and these changes are necessary.”