Whitmer vetoes $10M to refill compensation fund for wrongfully imprisoned
LANSING, MI -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law a bill to improve transparency for a dwindling fund compensating wrongfully imprisoned people, but vetoed a $10 million appropriation to replenish the fund.
Whitmer signed House Bill 4286 Friday, which passed unanimously in the both chambers of the Michigan Legislature, applauding its impact on transparency and accountability. However, Whitmer blocked the $10 million appropriation to uphold a promise to veto legislation that circumvents the public’s right to reject laws through the referendum process.
“While this item veto underscores my strong support for referendum rights, it should not be construed as a lack of support for compensation for citizens wrongfully imprisoned,” Whitmer wrote.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Steve Johnson, R-Wayland, harshly criticized Whitmer’s veto. Johnson said more money is needed to restore the “essentially bankrupt fund.”
Read more: https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2019/05/whitmer-vetos-10m-to-refill-compensation-fund-for-wrongfully-imprisoned.html
