The state House is preparing to examine the issue of racial profiling as a new package of bills makes its way to the Legislature.

Racial profiling is a practice in which police take action based on race, ethnicity or national origin rather than illegal or suspicious activities.

“For more than 15 years, the use of racial profiling has grown,” said state Rep. Samuel “Buzz” Thomas, D-Detroit, one of the bills’ sponsors. “The issue of driving while black is pertinent to any black person. It hurts trust.

“My goal in banning it is to rebuild trust.”

The first of three bills is prepared for debate in committee and the House, while two others are still in the drafting stages.

The first bill prohibits racial profiling and requires all law enforcement agencies to collect racial profiling data for at least three years. The bill also includes provisions for training for officers to encourage racial sensitivity.

Police departments in 18 states are required to track such data under state law. Michigan is not currently among those states.

“I think every officer should go through that type of training,” said Qiana Green, an office assistant in the MSU Office of Minority Student Affairs. “But I don’t know how far that will go toward stopping it. It doesn’t help with the racism.”

The bill also has provisions requiring law enforcement data regarding racial profiling to be examined by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. One of the other bills being prepared creates a complaint procedure through the department.

“We look forward to having input on the legislative process,” said Rachel Parish, a spokeswoman for the department.

The organization is refraining from further comment until the bills have progressed in the Capitol.

Another section of one of the new bills would require the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards to develop training guidelines on racial differences for all law enforcement agencies, to have every officer participate in training within 12 months of the adoption of the training course and for all officers who fail to comply with racial profiling standards to be retrained.

Lansing police have already held profiling workshops, detailing an ongoing program to bring local racial profiling to a halt.

“It’s on track - it’s the way we do business now,” Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said. “It won’t resolve the issue, but it’s a step in the right direction.”