A local lawmaker will be among those investigating how Michigan State University handled the Larry Nassar scandal.

State Rep. Lana Theis of Brighton Twp. serves on the committee charged with investigating sexual assaults by former USA Gymnastics and MSU Doctor Larry Nassar involving female gymnasts that took place on the East Lansing campus. Nassar was sentenced last week to 40-175 years in prison on 10 counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct for molesting over 150 girls and young women over a 20-year period. He had previously been sentenced to 60 years in prison for possession of child pornography.

The House Law and Justice Committee, of which Theis is a member, has given the university until Feb. 9th to come up with all relevant documents, which cannot be redacted. Theis told WHMI that one aspect of the case the committee will be looking into is whether a new law is needed to prevent such horrific acts from happening in the future. She added that the resignation of President Lou Anna Simon was absolutely necessary, adding that anyone else in authority who may have had knowledge of the situation and did nothing should be held accountable.

The fallout also included the abrupt retirement of Athletic Director Mark Hollis. Although not related to the Dr. Nassar case, football coach Mark Dantonio and basketball coach Tom Izzo are also under fire for allegedly being slow in reporting cases of alleged sexual assaults involving their players to authorities. In a related item, the U.S. House Monday overwhelmingly passed a bill designed to protect young American amateur athletes from sexual abuse. The bill would also require USA Gymnastics and other athletic governing bodies to implement policies to prevent such abuses from occurring. (TT)