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HB 5592

Criminal procedure: sentencing guidelines; sentencing guidelines for crimes against animals; revise. Amends sec. 22, ch. XVII of 1927 PA 175 (MCL 777.22).

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Abraham Aiyash and 19 co-sponsors

Adds companion-animal harm to sentencing guidelines by raising scores, boosting recommended sentences when pets or service animals are harmed; hinges on package enactment.

PLACED ON IMMEDIATE PASSAGE
#crimes:animals #criminalprocedure:sentencingguidelines
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Bill Summary · HB 5592

Summary — HB 5592 (1927 PA 175; amends MCL 777.22)

Status: Placed on Immediate Passage. Introduced: March 14, 2024. Sponsor: Rep. Brenda Carter (with multiple co-sponsors).

Purpose

HB 5592 is part of a legislative package (House Bills 5587–5593) that revises Michigan’s sentencing guidelines to account explicitly for crimes that harm companion animals (pets and service animals). The package adds offense-variable scoring rules so harm to companion animals is considered when calculating guidelines-recommended sentences.

Key provisions

  • Amends section 22 of Chapter XVII of the Code of Criminal Procedure (MCL 777.22) — the section that directs which offense variables are scored for different categories of crimes.
  • Operates as part of a set: other bills in the package add the substantive scoring rules. Relevant companion-bill provisions (summarized here) that operate together with HB 5592 include:
    • HB 5588 (definition): defines "companion animal" to include commonly considered pets (e.g., cats, dogs), animals the owner treats as pets, service animals as defined in federal regulations (generally trained dogs), and individually trained miniature horses.
    • HB 5590 (Offense Variable 1 — Aggravated Use of a Weapon): adds points when a companion animal is targeted by weapons (examples: firearm discharged at a companion animal — 15 points; companion animal cut or stabbed — 15 points; companion animal exposed to harmful chemical/biological agent — 10 points; companion animal touched by other weapon — 5 points).
    • HB 5587 (Offense Variable 3 — Physical Injury): adds scoring for physical injury or death of a companion animal (examples: companion animal killed by crime — 50 points where killing the animal is not the sentencing offense; killed while offender impaired — 25 points; life‑threatening/permanent injury to companion animal — 15 points; bodily injury requiring veterinary treatment — 5 points).
    • HB 5589 (Offense Variable 7 — Aggravated Physical Abuse): provides scoring for aggravated abuse circumstances that place each companion animal in danger (paralleling existing human‑victim scoring).

Who is affected

  • Defendants charged with offenses in which companion animals are harmed — added points can raise offense variable scores and therefore increase guideline-recommended sentences.
  • Judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys — will apply the revised scoring rules in guideline calculations.
  • Victims/owners of companion animals and service‑animal users — the change recognizes animal harm in sentencing.
  • Corrections system — potentially more severe recommended sanctions where animal harm is present.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • HB 5592 passed the Michigan House on June 20, 2024 (immediate effect) and has subsequent referrals and actions listed through 2025 (including referral to Higher Education on 2025-04-07 in the provided history).
  • Enacting section: HB 5592 does not take effect unless specified companion bills in the package (notably HB 5589 and HB 5593 as identified in the bill) are also enacted. This makes enactment contingent on passage of related bills in the package.

Impact

By adding companion-animal–specific offense-variable scoring, the package aims to ensure harm to pets and service animals is reflected in sentencing guideline calculations, which can lead to higher recommended sentencing ranges when such harm occurs.

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

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