Bill
HB 4132
Adds animal-related abuse grounds to personal protection orders, letting petitioners restrain a respondent from harming, stealing, or controlling pets to protect victims.
Status & procedural history
- Bill number: HB 4132 (2025 session) — amends MCL 600.2950 (Revised Judicature Act of 1961).
- Introduced: March 10, 2025 (read 1st time 03/27/2025). Referred to Licensing & Administrative Procedures.
- Tie-bar: Tied to HB 4131 (’25).
- Sponsors: Rep. Adam M. Niemerg (primary in some listings), plus other listed sponsors/co-sponsors across versions.
Purpose / intent
- To expand the grounds on which a petitioner may seek a personal protection order (PPO) by adding specific animal-related conduct to the list of prohibited acts. The change recognizes the use or threat of harm to animals as a form of coercion, intimidation, or emotional abuse that can justify court-ordered protection.
Key provisions (what the bill changes)
- Adds a new subsection to MCL 600.2950 allowing a petitioner to request a PPO to restrain or enjoin a respondent from specified animal-related conduct when done with intent to cause the petitioner mental distress or to exert control over the petitioner regarding an animal the petitioner owns. The enumerated acts include:
- Injuring, killing, torturing, neglecting, or threatening to injure/kill/torture/neglect the petitioner’s animal.
- Removing the animal from the petitioner’s possession.
- Retaining or obtaining possession of the animal.
- Carve-out / limit: A restraining order that enjoins conduct under the added provision does not prohibit lawful killing or other lawful uses of the animal as already provided under the Michigan Penal Code (reference to MCL 750.50 provisions).
- The new animal-related grounds are integrated into the existing PPO framework (who may petition, standards for issuance, evidentiary practice) — i.e., petitioners may seek relief against spouses, former spouses, persons with whom petitioner has a child in common, dating partners, or household members, as already provided by section 2950.
- Cross-reference/update: The bill updates the Revised Judicature Act section(s) to include this additional category of prohibitable conduct.
Who is affected
- Petitioners: people (spouses, ex-spouses, dating partners, household members, parents of common children, etc.) who suffer or are threatened with animal-related abuse or interference may seek a PPO.
- Respondents: individuals who injure, threaten, seize, or withhold animals from petitioners may be subject to PPOs and corresponding criminal or civil consequences for violations.
- Courts, clerks, and law enforcement: will need to process and enforce PPOs that include animal-related prohibitions; forms, training, and entry into law enforcement records may require updates.
- Animals: the change provides an additional legal mechanism intended to protect animals that are used as instruments of abuse or control.
Procedural / enforcement notes
- The bill integrates animal-related prohibitions into the existing PPO issuance standard (reasonable cause showing). Other procedural aspects of section 2950 (e.g., ability to omit petitioner address, emergency issuance, statewide enforceability when signed) remain part of the statutory framework.
- The bill is tie-barred to HB 4131; neither bill would take effect unless both are enacted (per standard tie-bar practice noted in related materials).
Potential impacts and considerations
- Strengthens remedies for domestic/intimate-partner/household abuse where animals are targeted to intimidate or control victims.
- Likely administrative impacts: court forms and training updates, law enforcement awareness, possible increases in PPO filings citing animal-related conduct.
- Enforcement interactions: aligning PPO remedies with existing criminal statutes governing animal cruelty and property/custody disputes may require clear guidance (the bill preserves lawful uses described in the penal code).
If you want, I can:
- Produce a redline-style comparison showing the exact statutory text added to MCL 600.2950, or
- Draft a plain-language one-page factsheet for law enforcement or court clerks summarizing how to apply the new animal-related PPO grounds.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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