LANSING, Mich. (WOWO) — Michigan lawmakers are considering a package of bills that would significantly increase penalties for people convicted of criminal sexual conduct, including establishing mandatory minimum prison sentences for several offenses and making fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct a felony.

House Bills 6260 through 6263 were introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives last Wednesday and have been referred to the House Committee on Judiciary for consideration according to WLNS.

The legislation would change sentencing requirements for each of the four degrees of criminal sexual conduct and would make offenses at every degree potentially punishable by up to life in prison.

House Bill 6260 addresses first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Under the proposal, a conviction would carry a minimum prison sentence of 15 years. Current Michigan law allows a sentence ranging from a term of years up to life imprisonment, depending on the circumstances of the case.

The legislation would not eliminate enhanced penalties that can apply in certain cases.

For example, a conviction involving a victim younger than 13 and an offender who is at least 17 can carry a minimum sentence of 25 years under existing law. Certain repeat-offender cases involving victims younger than 13 can result in mandatory life imprisonment without parole.

House Bill 6261 would make substantial changes to second-degree criminal sexual conduct sentencing.

The bill would eliminate the existing 15-year statutory maximum and establish a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison for a conviction.

House Bill 6262 addresses third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

It would replace the current five-year maximum prison sentence with a five-year minimum sentence.

The fourth bill, House Bill 6263, would change the classification of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Under current law, fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct is a misdemeanor. The proposed legislation would reclassify the offense as a felony, bringing it under the state’s more serious criminal classification.

Together, the four measures represent a broad effort to increase the potential consequences for criminal sexual conduct convictions in Michigan.

The bills were introduced August 26 and have not yet been approved by the House.

The House Judiciary Committee will review the proposals before they can advance through the legislative process.

If approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor, the measures would change Michigan’s current sentencing structure for criminal sexual conduct by establishing new mandatory minimums, eliminating certain maximum sentences and elevating fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct from a misdemeanor to a felony.

The proposals remain subject to legislative debate and could be amended before lawmakers take final action.