Today, the House Judiciary Committee delivered decisive, bipartisan action by unanimously reporting out House Bill 4396, sponsored by Representative Sarah Lightner. HB 4396 creates a robust “data use agreement” framework under the Juvenile Diversion Act, allowing qualified researchers to access anonymized juvenile diversion records for critical policy studies—while safeguarding personal privacy at every step.

“Michigan’s juvenile diversion programs hold tremendous promise for steering young people away from the criminal justice system,” said Rep. Lightner. “By partnering with top academic institutions through secure, anonymized data-sharing, we will pinpoint what works, reduce recidivism, and direct taxpayer dollars where they deliver the greatest impact.”

Key Features of HB 4396

• Data Use Agreements: Establishes standardized agreements between the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) or individual courts and researchers to protect the integrity of sensitive information.
  
• Privacy Protections: Defines “personally identifiable information”—from names and dates of birth to Social Security numbers—and prohibits its disclosure under FOIA.
  
• Transparency & Oversight: Mandates that SCAO maintain a public record of all research requests received, requests granted, and descriptions of data released.
  
• Cost Recovery: Authorizes SCAO to recover reasonable processing costs from requesters, ensuring no additional burden on Michigan taxpayers.

Broad, Bipartisan Support

• Senate Momentum: HB 4396 is identical to SB 24 (Chang), which passed the Michigan Senate on March 5, 2025, by a vote of 29–6, underscoring strong cross-chamber backing.
  
• Reintroduction of Proven Policy: Building on SB 688 (Chang), which cleared Senate committees last session, this retooled legislation reflects lessons learned and renewed commitment to data-driven reform.

Fiscal Impact

The Senate Fiscal Agency estimates indeterminate administrative costs for SCAO to negotiate and manage data use agreements—costs expected to be absorbed within existing appropriations.

With unanimous committee approval, HB 4396 now advances to the full House. Representative Lightner calls on her colleagues to sustain this bipartisan momentum, pass the bill swiftly, and equip Michigan with the evidence it needs to strengthen juvenile diversion and protect public safety.

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