State Rep. Mike Harris and the House Government Operations Committee on Thursday unanimously approved Harris’ bipartisan plan to increase support for public safety and violence prevention in Michigan communities.

Harris, the majority vice chair of the committee and a retired police sergeant, said the Public Safety and Violence Prevention Trust Fund will provide local governments with critical annual funding for expanding law enforcement and violence intervention efforts at a time when many Michigan communities are struggling with persistent, widespread violent crime.

“Widespread violence in Michigan communities harms us all — it hurts victims and makes every resident less safe,” said Harris, R-Waterford. “When I served as a police officer, I saw firsthand the tragic consequences of crime on people’s lives. To prevent violence and protect our communities, Michigan needs to boost resources for public safety. That’s what our bipartisan plan will do. For the first time, our state will dedicate resources to law enforcement and violence prevention every year, so local communities can make their neighborhoods safer places for people to live.”

Four of the 20 most violent cities in the nation are in Michigan, according to recent FBI data. Statewide, violent crime from 2019 to 2023 is 7% higher than the preceding five years, and homicides are up 17%.

House Bills 4260 and 4261 would create the trust fund and deposit $115 million of annual sales tax revenues into it. The plan would distribute $72 million to cities, villages, and townships, based on their share of statewide violent crime. The plan requires local governments to use the resources to increase support for public safety and violence intervention efforts.

The plan also sets aside $40 million for county sheriff’s offices, distributed according to the size of each county’s police force. Additionally, $1.5 million would go to the Crime Victim’s Rights Fund to support victims and their families, while another $1.5 million would be available as grants for community violence intervention initiatives.

HBs 4260-4261 now proceed to the House floor, where House Speaker Matt Hall is expected to hold a vote on the priority legislation in the days ahead.