State Rep. Graham Filler, Republican vice chair of the House Criminal Justice Committee, today expressed serious concerns about a plan that would drastically alter Michigan’s bail system.

House Bills 4655-4656 and 4658-4661, under consideration in the committee, propose sweeping reforms that would require judges to release certain offenders without bail — regardless of the circumstances surrounding their arrest.

Filler, R-Duplain Township, emphasized that the bills severely limit judicial discretion, preventing judges from fully considering the risks posed by defendants before deciding whether they should be released back into the community.

“This represents a dangerous shift in how we handle public safety,” Filler said. “The people of Michigan deserve a criminal justice system that prioritizes their safety. These bills would force judges to let certain offenders walk free without bail, even if they pose a clear threat to public safety.”

Filler pointed to troubling outcomes in other states, such as New York and California, where similar bail reforms have led to an increase in repeat offenses. In New York City, nearly 50% of felony offenders released without bail were rearrested while awaiting trial.

“When repeat offenders are given a free pass, it’s no surprise that crime rates go up,” Filler said. “These policies are tied to a surge in violent crime in states where they’ve been adopted.”

Under the proposed Michigan reforms, judges would be stripped of their ability to factor in a defendant’s criminal history, prior failures to appear in court, or potential danger to the community. Instead, they would be mandated to release individuals charged with what are arbitrarily labeled as “low-level” crimes, regardless of the context or the individual’s background.

“We trust our judges to make decisions that keep our communities safe,” Filler said. “Handcuffing their ability to do so is not just short-sighted — it’s reckless. Michigan should learn from the mistakes of other states, not repeat them.”

Filler urged lawmakers to consider the impact these policies could have on Michigan communities, especially in areas like Oakland County, where a crime ring has targeted high-end neighborhoods for robberies.

“If we move forward with this radical experiment, we risk turning our neighborhoods into the next hotbeds for crime sprees,” Filler said. “Releasing dangerous people without any oversight has very real consequences, and we can’t ignore that.”

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