Gov. Whitmer notches big win for Michigan kids, families and communities with signature of Raise the Age bills
League CEO Gilda Z. Jacobs gives remarks alongside Gov. Whitmer, bipartisan legislators and advocacy partners
LANSING—The Michigan League for Public Policy issued the following statement on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature into law of the Raise the Age legislation to change Michigan’s age of juvenile court jurisdiction from 17 years old to 18. Right now, Michigan is one of only four states in the nation that still automatically treat all justice-involved 17-year-olds as adults, regardless of their offense. This puts these kids in danger physically, mentally and emotionally, and harms their educational, professional and financial opportunities.
Raise the Age is a long-awaited change for Michigan kids and has been a big focus of the League and our Kids Count work, and we’re excited to see these bills getting closer to the finish line. The statement can be attributed to Michigan League for Public Policy President and CEO Gilda Z. Jacobs.
“On behalf of all Michigan kids and families, we extend our thanks and appreciation to Gov. Whitmer for taking this important action today to ‘raise the age’ and rightfully treat 17-year-olds as the kids that they are in our justice system,” said Gilda Z. Jacobs, President and CEO for the Michigan League for Public Policy. “This is what a good compromise looks like, both in the substance of the policy and in the widespread and diverse support. With a stroke of her pen today, the governor is taking better care of our youth and families and giving them a brighter future, benefiting our communities and economy in the process.”
“In addition to the direct benefits to Michigan kids and families, with her signature enacting Raise the Age into law, the governor is also enshrining significant societal victories as well as individual ones. Today’s action is a win for child well-being and safety, a win for racial equity, a win for bipartisanship, a win for our local communities and economies, and a win for our national reputation. We are so grateful to all the advocates and policymakers past and present who have made this happen, especially our key advocacy partners at the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency, the Michigan Catholic Conference, Michigan Faith in Action, Safe and Just Michigan, the ACLU of Michigan, the Mackinac Center and more.”
FOR ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:
League Raise the Age Fact Sheet
League Testimony on House Bills 4133-4146 (as introduced)
OpEd in Support of Raise the Age by Former Detroit Lion Anquan Boldin and Devin and Jason McCourty
League Owner’s Manual Priority: Give Kids the Keys to a Strong Future
Full Remarks from League CEO Gilda Jacobs given at today’s bill signing and press conference:
Good morning.
It is truly an honor to be with you today, and I’m grateful for all of our partners and the role they played in making this change happen.
Currently (for the next few minutes, at least), Michigan is one of only four states in the nation that still automatically treat all justice-involved 17-year-olds as adults, regardless of their offense.
This puts these kids in danger physically, mentally and emotionally, and harms their educational, professional and financial opportunities for decades to come.
Over the last four years—spanning three legislative sessions—that the Michigan League for Public Policy and our partners have been fighting to Raise the Age, we have heard countless stories on the adverse impact, and at times, absurdity, of how our state was treating 17-year-olds in our justice system.
We heard from numerous young people making youthful mistakes who ended up with adult charges and lifelong repercussions.
We heard from young people who got into fights or who got caught with marijuana or alcohol.
We even heard from a fellow who at 17 was charged as an ADULT for being a minor in possession of tobacco.
Now how does that make sense?
We also heard from parents, who have as much at stake in seeing this law changed as the young people themselves.
We heard from a father whose two sons, aged 16 and 17, were out past curfew, and had dramatically different experiences in the court system for the exact same minor offense.
And we heard from a heartbroken mother whose son was incarcerated in an adult facility hundreds of miles from their home.
These are the voices we heard calling for a change to this law; and these are the voices that have finally been heeded by policymakers these past few months and weeks, and finally, today.
As the governor takes this important and long-awaited step, this is exactly what a good compromise looks like, both in this policy and in this room.
This is certainly a victory for a lot of people, but first and foremost, it is a win for kids and families like these—because starting soon, no one else will have to endure what they’ve gone through.
But with her signature enacting Raise the Age into law, the governor is also enshrining significant societal victories as well as individual ones.
Today’s action is a win for child well-being and safety.
A win for academic and economic opportunity.
A win for racial equity.
A win for bipartisanship.
A win for smart and rehabilitative justice.
A win for our local communities and economies.
And a win for our national reputation.
We are so grateful for all the advocates and policymakers past and present who have made this happen, especially the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency.
Passing Raise the Age has been one of our top policy goals year after year, and we are so pleased to see that dream become a reality.
And we appreciate the governor’s commitment to this issue and willingness to stand up and change this outdated and ineffective law once and for all.
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The Kids Count in Michigan project is part of a broad national effort to improve conditions for children and their families. Funding for the project is provided by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, Steelcase Foundation, Michigan Education Association, American Federation of Teachers Michigan, Ruth Mott Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, DTE Energy Foundation, Ford Motor Company Fund, and the Battle Creek Community Foundation. More state and local data are available at the Kids Count Data Center, www.datacenter.kidscount.org.
The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on economic opportunity for all. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Jacob Kaplan 
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
