Criminal procedure: sentencing guidelines; sentencing guidelines for crimes against animals; revise. Amends sec. 37, ch. XVII of 1927 PA 175 (MCL 777.37). TIE BAR WITH: HB 5588'24, HB 5592'24

This bill updates Michigan's sentencing guidelines to include specific penalties for crimes involving the abuse of companion animals. It assigns 25 points to a criminal score when an animal is subjected to sadistic, torturous, or brutally excessive conduct intended to cause fear or anxiety, while similar acts against humans carry a higher 50-point penalty. The legislation defines "sadism" as actions that inflict extreme or prolonged pain or humiliation for the offender's gratification. These changes apply only if the bill is passed alongside two related companion bills, HB 5588 and HB 5592.