Criminal Justice (Civil Rights)

SB 121 prohibits Michigan state and local government employees from enforcing specific federal firearm regulations, including those requiring registration of firearms or ammunition, imposing firearm-specific taxes, banning possession, or ordering confiscation. It makes such federal laws unenforceable within Michigan and imposes $10,000 fines per violation on state employees who enforce them or political subdivisions that employ such individuals. The bill also allows individuals harmed by these enforcement attempts to seek court injunctions and recover attorney fees. It directly affects state agencies, local governments, and employees who might otherwise comply with federal firearm rules. The bill is currently pending in the Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety committee.

This bill (HB 4599) amends Michigan's criminal code to address gift card fraud by adding Section 3a to existing statutes (MCL 752.1081-752.1087). It directly affects individuals who commit gift card fraud, such as stealing or selling stolen gift card numbers. The bill creates specific criminal penalties for these offenses but does not provide details on the exact penalties or scope in the given context. The bill passed the House on September 9, 2025, with strong support, and was referred to the Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety Committee. The context provided does not include the specific provisions or who is affected beyond the general fraud focus.

HB 5247 amends Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to exclude individuals serving prison sentences from the definition of "person" eligible to request public records. Specifically, it revises Section 2(g) to clarify that "person" does not include anyone incarcerated in state or local correctional facilities. This change directly affects people currently in prison, removing their right to access public records through FOIA requests. The bill maintains that all other residents retain full FOIA access rights, with no other policy changes to the act's core provisions.

HB 4664 prohibits blocking state highways during assemblies of individuals, amending Michigan's existing traffic law (MCL 257.676b). It directly affects protesters or assembly participants who obstruct highway traffic, making such obstruction a misdemeanor offense. The key provision adds a specific penalty for blocking highways while engaging in group assemblies, moving beyond general traffic violations. This law clarifies that highway obstruction during protests is a criminal act, not merely a traffic infraction.