Public Act 131 of 2002

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• Introduced by Rep. Jim Howell (R) on December 12, 2001, to establish new penalties and definitions for the crime of terrorism. The bill requires a mandatory sentence of life in prison for a person who commits an act of terrorism which takes the life of another, or who knowingly or unknowingly hinders the prosecution of terrorism by giving certain “criminal assistance” to the terrorist, such as helping to conceal the terrorist, aid his or her escape, hide evidence that would lead to capture and prosecution, and more. It would impose penalties of up to 20 years for a person who assists an act of terrorism, solicits support for terrorist acts, or makes a terrorist threat. The bill provides lesser penalties of up to life in prison for acts of terrorism which cause injury or property damage. Terrorism is defined as an act intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policy of any unit of government by intimidation or coercion, or affect the conduct of government by murder, assassination, or kidnapping. The bill is part of a legislative terrorism response package comprised of House Bills 5495 to 5520, and Senate Bills 930 to 960.
  • Referred to the House Criminal Justice Committee on December 12, 2001.
  • Substitute offered in the House on February 27, 2002, to replace the previous version of the bill with a version recommended by the committee which reported it. The substitute removes most of the provisions of the bill, which are still contained in Senate Bill 930, to which the bill is tie-barred. Remaining is a revised definition of a terrorist organization as one which is recognized as such by the U.S. State Department, a provision which establishes that a person charged with the crime of terrorism as proposed in Senate Bill 930 can in addition be charged with another felony for the act which was the predicate offense of the terrorism charge, and a provision which prohibits prosecution or property seizure under the terrorism law proposed in Senate Bill 930 for actions that fall under the right to free speech recognized by the First Amendment. The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on February 27, 2002.
• Passed in the House (102 to 0) on February 28, 2002, to define a terrorist organization as one which is recognized as such by the U.S. State Department, establish that a person charged with the crime of terrorism as proposed in Senate Bill 930 can in addition be charged with another felony for the act which was the predicate offense of the terrorism charge, and prohibit prosecution or property seizure under the terrorism law proposed in Senate Bill 930 for actions that fall under the right to free speech recognized by the First Amendment. The bill is part of a legislative terrorism response package comprised of House Bills 5495 to 5520, and Senate Bills 930 to 960. The bill is tie-barred to Senate Bill 930. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on February 28, 2002, to define a terrorist organization as one which is recognized as such by the U.S. State Department, establish that a person charged with the crime of terrorism as proposed in Senate Bill 930 can in addition be charged with another felony for the act which was the predicate offense of the terrorism charge, and prohibit prosecution or property seizure under the terrorism law proposed in Senate Bill 930 for actions that fall under the right to free speech recognized by the First Amendment. The bill is part of a legislative terrorism response package comprised of House Bills 5495 to 5520, and Senate Bills 930 to 960. The bill is tie-barred to Senate Bill 930.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. William Van Regenmorter (R) on March 21, 2002, to establish a new date on which the bill will go into effect if passed. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 21, 2002.
• Passed in the Senate (33 to 0) on March 21, 2002. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on March 21, 2002.
• Passed in the House (103 to 0) on March 21, 2002, to concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Signed by Gov. John Engler on March 29, 2002.