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Bills prompted by Nassar lawsuits to be introduced

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http://j.mp/1SPGCl0
Credit user cedarbenddrive/Flickr / http://j.mp/1SPGCl0
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http://j.mp/1SPGCl0

Legislation prompted by potential payouts related to former MSU sports doctor Larry Nassar is scheduled to be introduced next month. Lawmakers in Lansing want to prevent schools and colleges from using tax dollars to pay for legal settlements in sexual misconduct cases.

“The dollars that we as taxpayers pay should be used to better institutions, to better higher education, not to pay out for lawsuits and settlements," said state Rep. Klint Kesto, R-Commerce Twp., who is drafting the legislation.

Kesto says the victims need to be made whole. But it shouldn’t be at taxpayer expense.

“We as taxpayers should not be taking our tax money, paying it for the negligence of an institution like a college or university when they should be out there on the front lines preventing and stopping this from ever happening again," Kesto said.

Nassar has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing multiple gymnasts. MSU is currently facing several lawsuits from Nassar’s victims. The university has not returned a request for comment.

Copyright 2017 Michigan Radio

Before becoming the newest Capitol reporter for the Michigan Public Radio Network, Cheyna Roth was an attorney. She spent her days fighting it out in court as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Ionia County. Eventually, Cheyna took her investigative and interview skills and moved on to journalism. She got her masters at Michigan State University and was a documentary filmmaker, podcaster, and freelance writer before finding her home with NPR. Very soon after joining MPRN, Cheyna started covering the 2016 presidential election, chasing after Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and all their surrogates as they duked it out for Michigan. Cheyna also focuses on the Legislature and criminal justice issues for MPRN. Cheyna is obsessively curious, a passionate storyteller, and an occasional backpacker. Follow her on Twitter at @Cheyna_R