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HB 5847

Crimes: prostitution; references to prostitute and prostitution; modify in the fourth class city act. Amends sec. 1, ch. XI of 1895 PA 215 (MCL 91.1).

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Bob Bezotte and 21 co-sponsors

HB 5847 amends the Fourth Class City Act to replace prostitution with commercial sexual activity, broadening cities' power to regulate such activity.

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
#crimes:prostitution #localgovernment:other
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Bill Summary · HB 5847

Summary — HB 5847 (Fourth Class City Act amendment)

Status: Referred to Committee on Government Operations (passed House Dec. 11, 2024).
Introduced: June 25, 2024 (Rep. Douglas C. Wozniak). Transmitted after House passage; referred to additional committees Jan. 22, 2025.

Purpose / Intent

HB 5847 updates the Fourth Class City Act (1895 PA 215) to replace the term “prostitution” with the broader term “commercial sexual activity” in the list of municipal powers. The change is part of a larger package of bills that uniformly replace prostitution-related terminology across Michigan law and expand the statutory scope of prohibited commercial sexual conduct.

Key provisions

  • Amends section 1, chapter XI (MCL 91.1) of the Fourth Class City Act.
  • In subdivision (b) (general powers of a fourth-class city), replaces the phrase “prostitution” with “commercial sexual activity,” so municipalities’ ordinance-making authority explicitly targets “commercial sexual activity.”
  • The bill text otherwise retains the existing enumerated powers of fourth-class city councils (e.g., to restrain vice and immorality, prohibit vagrancy, regulate places of entertainment), but with the updated terminology.

Relation to other bills in the package

  • HB 5847 is one of several related bills (e.g., HBs 5841–5846, 5848–5864) that redefine prostitution-related concepts at the state level. Those companion bills propose a detailed statutory definition of “commercial sexual activity” (including paid sexual contact, sexual penetration, certain sexually explicit productions, and child sexually abusive material) and would make parallel changes in the Michigan Penal Code and other statutes. HB 5847 aligns the Fourth Class City Act with that wider statutory framework.

Who is affected / potential impact

  • Fourth-class cities (municipalities covered by the 1895 act) — their enabling authority to adopt ordinances is explicitly broadened to cover “commercial sexual activity.”
  • Local governments and municipal attorneys — may need to revise existing ordinances and enforcement language to reflect the new terminology.
  • Businesses and venues (adult entertainment, lodging, private clubs) and individuals who engage in or regulate paid sexual services or related commercial productions — could face different regulatory or enforcement treatment if the broader definition in companion bills is adopted.
  • Law enforcement and courts — may see changes in ordinance enforcement and how local rules interface with revised state criminal statutes.

Legislative timeline / next steps

  • Introduced June 25, 2024. Passed the House on Dec. 11, 2024 (Roll Call #430); House action noted as given immediate effect.
  • Referred to Committee on Government Operations (Dec. 18, 2024). Additional committee referrals occurred after transmission. Further committee consideration and any Senate action remain pending.

Notes

  • HB 5847 itself performs a targeted, textual update to municipal powers; substantive scope (e.g., the legal definition of “commercial sexual activity,” penalties, age thresholds) is established in companion legislation. The practical legal impact on enforcement and penalties depends on whether those companion bills are enacted.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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