State Reps. Jennifer Wortz and Karl Bohnak today announced their plan to promote safety and transparency across Michigan corrections facilities. The legislation expands the authority of Legislative Corrections Ombudsman to investigate complaints from corrections employees, family members of prisoners or corrections officers, and prisoners’ advocates. Current law only allows prisoners or legislators to file complaints with the ombudsman.  

“It has been tragically apparent that more accountability is needed,” said Wortz (R-Quincy). “Officials are now investigating the death of Rebecca Fackler at the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility, just days after the death of Khaira Howard. This is unacceptable. We need to guarantee that our correctional facilities are being operated with safety and transparency.”   

House Bills 5920 and 5921, introduced by Wortz and Bohnak (R-Deerton), establish a plan that would greatly expand the oversight powers of the Legislative Corrections Ombudsman, which is the independent office responsible for investigating complaints involving the Michigan Department of Corrections.  

“Our corrections officers have some of the toughest jobs in our criminal justice system,” Bohnak said. “With extensive, documented failures within the state corrections department, our COs have been left without true leadership, often working long hours in often miserable conditions. By allowing corrections officers and their families to submit complaints to the ombudsman, we’re creating a process for officers working in these unacceptable conditions to speak out.”   

The legislation would also require the department to provide the ombudsman with access to critical records, including medical, mental health, mortality, and morbidity records, without requiring special release forms.    

“We need to take action,” Wortz said. “The people of this state deserve to know with confidence that correctional facilities are operating safely, lawfully, and with full transparency.  Anything less would be a betrayal of our duty as lawmakers to faithfully serve the people of Michigan.”   

To promote ethical accountability, the ombudsman would be required to publish annual and monthly public reports detailing the number of complaints received and how complaints were resolved.   

The bills were referred to the House Committee on Judiciary for further review.