Snyder Signs Bill on Lottery Winnings, Issues Exec Order on Public Safety

Governor Rick Snyder signed numerous bills yesterday including legislation ensuring that lottery winnings and other assets are taken into account when determining public aid eligibility. Snyder also signed an executive order enhancing Michigan's crime information system.

Senate Bill 711 requires the Lotty Bureau to provide to the Department of Human Services (DHS) within seven days the names of recipients and the amount of their winnings for prizes more then $1,000.

Snyder said "we must lend a hand to our most vulnerable citizens, but we must also protect taxpayers by ensuring that state assistance go to those who truly are in need. Significant lottery winnings and other assets should be taken into account when determining eligibility for taxpayer-funded assistance."

On the issue of public safety, Snyder also signed E.O. 2012-5, which designates the Detroit and Southeastern Michigan Information and Intelligence Center as a node of the Michigan Intelligence Operations Center, or MIOC. Snyder had pledged to issue the order in his recent Special Message to the Legislature on Public Safety, which he held here in Flint.

MIOC is a central resource for all law enforcement agencies, providing intelligence to officers on the street. It partners with law enforcement officials from nearly every agency and level of government. The Detroit and Southeast Michigan Information and Intelligence Center is managed by the Michigan State Police.

The order facilitates the governor's call for a greater focus on evidence-based policing strategies and technology. Evidence-based policing assists law enforcement in predicting where crime is most likely to occur and positioning resources to prevent it.

"The ability to share high quality data within all levels of law enforcement is critical to the safety of our communities and state," said Snyder. "Realigning the Detroit and Southeast Michigan Information and Intelligence Center with MIOC will bolster intelligence gathering and sharing capabilities, enhancing Michigan's ability to protect families from all types of emergencies and threats."