Criminal procedure: sentencing guidelines; sentencing guidelines for killing or causing serious physical harm to a police dog, police horse, or a search and rescue dog; modify. Amends sec. 16b, ch. XVII of 1927 PA 175 (MCL 777.16b). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4732'25

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Joey Andrews and 10 co-sponsors

HB 4738 adds crimes against law enforcement and search-and-rescue animals to Michigan’s sentencing guidelines, expanding which offenses are governed by the guideline framework.

bill electronically reproduced 07/15/2025

#crimes:animals #crimes:penalties #criminalprocedure:sentencingguidelines

Summary — HB 4738 (103rd Legislature)

Title: Criminal procedure: sentencing guidelines; sentencing guidelines for killing or causing serious physical harm to a police dog, police horse, or a search and rescue dog; modify. (Amends MCL 777.16b.)
Introduced: March 13, 2025 (Rep. William Bruck et al.)
Enacted status: Signed by Governor 06/20/2025; Effective 01/01/2026.
Tie-bar: Tied to HB 4732 (does not take effect unless HB 4732 is enacted).

Purpose and intent

HB 4738 amends section 16b of chapter XVII of the Michigan Code of Criminal Procedure (MCL 777.16b) to modify the list of felonies to which the state sentencing guidelines apply — specifically adding or updating entries related to crimes that kill or cause serious physical harm to law enforcement animals (police dogs and police horses) and search and rescue dogs. The intent is to ensure offenses against those animals are explicitly reflected in the sentencing-guideline framework.

Key provisions

Amends MCL 777.16b (chapter XVII) to include the relevant subsections of MCL 750.50c (and related statutory provisions) among the enumerated felonies covered by the sentencing guidelines.

The bill identifies offenses such as:

Killing or causing serious physical harm to a law enforcement animal or a search and rescue dog;
Killing or causing serious physical harm to such an animal while committing another crime;
Harassing or causing harm to an enforcement or search and rescue animal in the course of criminal activity.

Maintains a tie-bar requiring enactment of HB 4732 for this bill to take effect (as introduced).

Original bill language included an enactment clause stating the amendatory act would take effect 90 days after enactment; however legislative records show the bill was signed and set to be effective 01/01/2026.

Who is affected

Defendants charged with offenses listed in MCL 750.50c (crimes involving law enforcement and search-and-rescue animals) — sentencing for these offenses will be governed under the enumerated sentencing-guideline scheme in MCL 777.16b.

Prosecutors, defense counsel, and sentencing judges who apply the Michigan sentencing guidelines.

Law enforcement agencies and handlers of police dogs, police horses, and search-and-rescue dogs — the amendment reinforces statutory recognition of these animals in sentencing policy.

Practical effect / implications

By explicitly listing crimes against law enforcement and search-and-rescue animals in the statutory enumerations to which Michigan’s sentencing guidelines apply, HB 4738 ensures those offenses are processed within the state’s structured sentencing framework. Depending on how those offenses are classified in statute (and their placement on the sentencing grid), the change may affect recommended ranges and judicial sentencing decisions for these crimes. The bill does not, in the text provided, state new monetary penalties or specific guideline point changes — it principally updates which offenses are covered by the sentencing-guideline statute.

Bill