WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 6029

Criminal procedure: sentencing; consideration of veteran status in sentencing; require. Amends secs. 1 & 21, ch. XVII of 1927 PA 175 (MCL 777.1 & 777.21).

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Matt Bierlein and 10 co-sponsors

The bill allows judges to set the lower bound of a veteran’s minimum sentence range to 0 months if a clear link exists between the offense and a service-related condition.

bill electronically reproduced 06/02/2026
#criminalprocedure:sentencing #veterans:other
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 6029

Summary of HB 6029 (Session 2025-2026, Michigan)

Overall purpose

HB 6029 seeks to amend the Michigan Code of Criminal Procedure to address sentencing for offenses by incorporating a formal provision recognizing veteran status. The bill adds a definition of “veteran” (with conditions for eligibility related to discharge type and certain service-connected disabilities or mental health conditions) and creates a mechanism whereby, if there is a clear connection between an offense and a service-related condition, the trial court must set the lower limit of the recommended minimum sentence range to 0 months. This effectively allows for a possibility of mitigating the minimum sentence for veterans in qualifying cases, without constituting a formal departure from the otherwise applicable sentence range.

Key provisions and changes

  • Definition of veteran (Sec. 1):
    • A veteran is defined as:
    • An individual who served in the United States Armed Forces (including reserve components) and, unless otherwise provided, was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable; exceptions exist if the individual has certain service-connected conditions (substance-use disorder, military sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, or another mental health condition) in which case dishonorable discharge may still qualify.
    • The individual must have served at least 180 days of active duty.
  • Sentencing framework (Sec. 21):
    • The bill maintains the current statutory structure for determining the recommended minimum sentence range using offense category, offense variables, and prior record variables, and applying the sentencing grid to derive a range.
    • It covers scenarios for offenses enumerated in part 2 of chapter XVII, multiple offenses, and various sentencing contexts (under sections 10, 11, 12 of chapter IX, violations under section 18, and attempted felonies under section 19).
    • For each scenario, the process for scoring offense variables and prior record variables, identifying offense class, and determining the recommended minimum sentence range remains, with one notable exception:
    • If the offender is a veteran and the court finds a clear connection between the offense and a service-related condition, the lower limit of the recommended minimum sentence range must be 0 months. This is a non-departure adjustment; it does not count as a departure from the otherwise applicable minimum range.
  • Effect on veteran defendants (new provision):
    • Creates a potential pathway for veteran defendants to receive a zero-month lower bound in the recommended minimum sentence range when there is a clear connection between the crime and a military service-related condition.
    • The provision is limited to the lower end of the range; it does not automatically guarantee no sentence or a complete downgrade, but it permits maximum mitigating impact at the lower end when the connection is established.

Who is affected

  • Veterans charged with offenses under Michigan’s Code of Criminal Procedure:
    • Those who can demonstrate a clear connection between their offense and a service-connected condition could see the lower bound of the sentence range reduced to zero months.
  • Judges and sentencing courts:
    • Will apply the veteran-related adjustment only when a clear connection is found; the adjustment is not considered a departure from the minimum range and thus must be applied within the rules of the statute.
  • Defendants with non-veteran status:
    • No change to sentencing framework; they continue to be sentenced according to the standard offense category, variables, and prior record.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date: The act takes effect 90 days after enactment.
  • Legislative process status: Introduced June 2, 2026; referred to the Judiciary Committee. If enacted, codified amendments would modify sections 1 and 21 of Chapter XVII of the Code of Criminal Procedure (MCL 777.1 and 777.21).

Practical implications and considerations

  • The veteran-related provision provides a potential individualized sentencing consideration aimed at acknowledging the intersection between military service and criminal behavior for eligible veterans.
  • The mechanism requires judicial determination of a “clear connection” between the offense and a service-connected condition, which could necessitate evidence or findings regarding service history and health conditions.
  • Because the lower limit can be set to 0 months, unique sentencing outcomes are possible, especially for offenses with otherwise higher minimum ranges; however, the non-departure phrasing indicates this is a permitted adjustment within the standard sentencing framework rather than a formal departure.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to a particular audience (e.g., policymakers, defense attorneys, or prosecutors) or compare it with current Michigan sentencing rules for veterans.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.