Battle Creek Times

State Representative Sarah Lightner has introduced House Bill 4396, aimed at enhancing juvenile diversion research in Michigan. The bill will enable qualified researchers from Wayne State University to access de-identified juvenile diversion data while maintaining strict privacy measures.

During a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Rep. Lightner, alongside Dr. Sheryl Kubiak from Wayne State University, advocated for the bill. "At today’s House Judiciary Committee hearing, I delivered testimony in support of this legislation along with Dr. Sheryl Kubiak, Dean of the School of Behavioral Health at Wayne State, because Michigan cannot improve juvenile diversion if we don’t know what’s working," said Rep. Lightner.

Currently, only courts can review diversion records when deciding on diverting a minor; researchers lack a clear method to assess program impact. HB 4396 proposes allowing the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) or individual courts to negotiate data use agreements with approved researchers. These agreements would ensure no personally identifiable information is disclosed and restrict data use to approved research scopes.

The SCAO may impose administrative fees for these agreements, and all shared data will remain exempt from Freedom of Information Act disclosures. Additionally, the bill requires maintaining logs of research requests to promote transparency.

Rep. Lightner emphasized the importance of evidence-based policy: "Michigan’s counties run dozens of diversion programs without uniform data on recidivism, cost-effectiveness, or long-term outcomes." She added that by leveraging Wayne State's research capabilities, they aim to identify effective strategies that save taxpayer money and improve outcomes for juveniles.

A vote on HB 4396 is anticipated in the coming weeks.