HB 5301 Michigan House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Natural resources: hunting; use of flashlights; allow. Amends sec. 40113 of 1994 PA 451 (MCL 324.40113).

HB 5301 amends Michigan's hunting regulations to allow licensed hunters to use artificial lights for 2 hours before and after official shooting hours while traveling on foot to or from their hunting location. This change directly affects licensed hunters traveling to and from hunting sites, extending the previous 1-hour window. The bill modifies Section 40113 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to clarify this specific exception to the general ban on using artificial light to locate game. It does not alter other restrictions, such as prohibitions on using lights between 11 PM and 6 AM from December 1 to October 31.

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

Governor

Introduced Dec 2, 2025 Last action Apr 22, 2026

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What changed between versions

House Introduced Bill → As Passed by the House · 3 edits · Apr 21, 2026

MINOR

The bill was reformatted to remove internal tracking codes and standardize the text layout. The core legal prohibitions against using artificial lights for hunting remain unchanged, though the text was slightly reorganized to merge a specific exemption regarding November dates into the main list of exceptions.

Scope change

No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability; the changes are primarily formatting and text consolidation.

TECHNICAL

Removed internal legislative tracking codes and headers that were present in the original draft but are not part of the final law.

Consolidated the list of exceptions for artificial light use by integrating the November 1 to November 30 property ownership exemption directly into the main list of exemptions.

Adjusted sentence structure in the first section to combine the general prohibition with the specific exemption for licensed hunters traveling to and from hunting locations.

Floor votes · House Apr 21, 2026

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 22, 2026

Committee

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND AGRICULTURE

upper

Apr 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

PASSED BY HOUSE WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT

upper

Apr 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

passed; given immediate effect Roll Call #117 Yeas 92 Nays 15 Excused 0 Not Voting 3

lower

Apr 15, 2026

Committee

referred to second reading

lower

Apr 15, 2026

Lower · Passed

reported with recommendation without amendment

lower

Dec 2, 2025

Committee

referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Tourism

lower

Dec 2, 2025

Introduced

introduced by Representative Rep. Karl Bohnak

lower

1 primary · 5 co-sponsors