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“Going back to the bad old days”: Police urge Whitmer to veto civil asset forfeiture bills

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   The Legislature sent Governor Gretchen Whitmer bills Thursday changing the state’s civil asset forfeiture laws.

Supporters say there should be a conviction before police can keep a person’s property. They say it’s a due process issue.

Republican Senator Peter Lucido is a bill sponsor. He’s been working on these changes since he was first a Representative in 2015.

“That was my number one bill I entered when I came up to this place. I saw the injustices done, I want to fix it, and I also said it’s time for making a change.”

But some members of law enforcement are not on board. They say this would allow drug enterprises to thrive because they’ll be able to keep their money.

Before becoming the newest Capitol reporter for the Michigan Public Radio Network, Cheyna Roth was an attorney. She spent her days fighting it out in court as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Ionia County. Eventually, Cheyna took her investigative and interview skills and moved on to journalism. She got her masters at Michigan State University and was a documentary filmmaker, podcaster, and freelance writer before finding her home with NPR. Very soon after joining MPRN, Cheyna started covering the 2016 presidential election, chasing after Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and all their surrogates as they duked it out for Michigan. Cheyna also focuses on the Legislature and criminal justice issues for MPRN. Cheyna is obsessively curious, a passionate storyteller, and an occasional backpacker. Follow her on Twitter at @Cheyna_R