Summary — HB 4542 (2025): Remedies for Harm to Service Animals
Status (as of 06/03/2025)
- Introduced: March 12, 2025 (Rep. Veronica Paiz listed as introducer 06/03/2025)
- Read first time: April 3, 2025; re-read June 3, 2025
- Committee activity: Referred to Transportation (4/3), committee substitute considered and reported favorably (5/1); placed on General State Calendar (5/13). On 6/3 bill was referred to the Committee on Judiciary and electronically reproduced.
- Current procedural posture: Pending in committee (Judiciary) as of 06/03/2025.
Purpose
- To create an explicit civil cause of action allowing owners or handlers of service animals to recover damages when a service animal is injured or killed by a person or by an animal owned by a person.
Where it would appear in law
- Adds section 2980 to the Revised Judicature Act of 1961 (1961 PA 236; MCL 600.101–600.9947).
Key provisions
- Liability: A person is liable to the owner or handler for damages resulting from injury to a service animal (including death) caused by that person or that person’s animal.
- Scope of fault: Liability applies whether the conduct was intentional, reckless, or negligent.
- Damages recoverable:
- Economic damages, including:
- Value of the service animal if killed or disabled from performing its work.
- Value or replacement cost of damaged equipment associated with the service animal.
- Reasonable costs of care (transportation, veterinary expenses, boarding, necessary supplies), loss of owner/handler earnings, travel and lodging related to care.
- Reasonable cost of retraining or rehabilitation.
- Reasonable cost of replacing the service animal (locating, purchasing/adoption cost, transportation, training, travel/lodging, and lost earnings during replacement process).
- Punitive damages where the defendant’s conduct was intentional or reckless.
- Attorney fees and actual costs.
- Preservation of other remedies: The new section does not limit or replace any other remedy available under law.
- Definition: “Service animal” is defined by reference to section 50a of the Michigan Penal Code (MCL 750.50a).
Who is affected
- Service animal owners and handlers (plaintiffs): provides a statutory route to recover specified economic losses and fees.
- Individuals whose actions or animals injure service animals (defendants): increased potential civil liability, including for negligent conduct.
- Insurers, trainers, shelters, and agencies involved in service animal replacement or retraining may be indirectly affected by claims and cost-shifting.
Potential impacts and considerations
- Provides clearer, itemized recoverable damages tailored to the unique role and costs associated with service animals (replacement, retraining, care, lost earnings).
- May increase civil claims and insurer exposure where service animals are harmed.
- Punitive damages limited to cases of intentional/reckless conduct.
- By cross-referencing the penal-code definition, the statute’s coverage aligns with existing state definitions of service animals (affects scope of who may sue).
This summary highlights substantive effects and procedural status to help stakeholders understand the bill’s purpose and likely practical consequences.
