What changed
If someone’s (registrable) crime was committed before July 1, 2011, Michigan cannot keep them on the current Sex Offenders Registration Act (SORA) registry.
The Michigan State Police (MSP) is removing those people from the state database. Once removed, they are no longer required in Michigan to register, check in, or report where they live or work under SORA.
The court ruling
On September 9, 2026, in People v. Eddie Lee Smith, the Michigan Supreme Court held — unanimously — that the 2021 SORA amendments cannot be applied retroactively to anyone who committed their crime before July 1, 2011. Doing so would be an unconstitutional after-the-fact punishment.
The Court also said the state cannot simply place those people under an older version of the registry law instead.
How the justices voted
News coverage of the decision describes it as unanimous. That means all seven sitting justices joined the result, including the Court’s only Republican-nominated member. Michigan Supreme Court races are listed as nonpartisan on the ballot, but candidates are nominated at party conventions. Two justices first reached the Court by gubernatorial appointment.
| Justice | Party | How they reached the Court |
|---|---|---|
| Megan Cavanagh, Chief Justice | Democratic | Elected in 2018 (Democratic nominee). Chosen by colleagues as chief justice in 2025. |
| Brian K. Zahra | Republican | Appointed in 2011 by Gov. Rick Snyder (R); later elected to full terms. |
| Richard H. Bernstein | Democratic | Elected in 2014 (Democratic nominee). |
| Elizabeth M. Welch | Democratic | Elected in 2020 (Democratic nominee). |
| Kyra Harris Bolden | Democratic | Appointed in 2022 by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D); later elected. |
| Kimberly A. Thomas | Democratic | Elected in 2024 (Democratic nominee). |
| Noah P. Hood | Democratic | Appointed in 2025 by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) after Chief Justice Elizabeth Clement resigned. |
What MSP is doing
MSP maintains the registry and said it must follow the Court’s order. According to MSP’s official statement:
- About 43,000 people were actively registered or required to register when the order came down.
- By September 11, 2026, MSP had already removed more than 20,000.
- The review is ongoing, so the numbers can still change.
If someone has been removed
For a person whose only Michigan-registerable crime was before July 1, 2011 and who has been taken off the list:
- They no longer appear on Michigan’s public sex offender website.
- They no longer have to register with MSP or local law enforcement under SORA.
- They no longer have to report their Michigan home address, workplace, or similar SORA updates.
Important limits
- The date that matters is when the crime was committed, not when they were released from prison.
- If they also have a registrable offense on or after July 1, 2011, they stay on the current registry and must still comply.
- The conviction is not erased. It remains on the criminal record.
- Another state can still require registration if the person lives, works, or goes to school there.
- MSP is still reviewing records. A listing can lag until the file is processed.
Who this does not cover
People whose offense was committed on or after July 1, 2011 remain subject to current Michigan SORA rules. MSP says errors about those remaining listings should go to the Sex Offender Registry Unit or the local agency where the person is registered.
MSP also said it did not change the law itself. Questions about rewriting the statute go to the Michigan Legislature.