The Governor of Michigan is expected to sign legislation next week ending most mandatory minimum penalties for drug offenses. The legislation consists of three bills, which had wide bipartisan support and the support of Michigan prosecutors.

Michigan's laws are among the strictist in the country. "Someone possessing 50 to 224 grams of narcotics or cocaine in Michigan must be sentenced to at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison. The bills would eliminate the 10-year minimum, allowing the judge to sentence an offender for any time up to 20 years."

Under the new law, drug offenders would become eligible for early. The final decision will be up to the board, but drug offenders have the highest rate of in Michigan--72%. Here is the fact sheet o n the new laws.

Possession of over 650 grams of cocaine in Michigan until a few years ago used to carry a mandatory life sentence. That's a little over a pound. As of July, 1998, 225 inmates were serving life terms under this statute.

For more details on the Michigan changes, and on the evils of mandatory sentencing in general, we recommend you visit -- FAMM--Families Against Mandatory Minimums. They have worked the hardest to overturn these draconian laws. Here is their update on Michigan.