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HB 4988

Housing: landlord and tenants; cross-reference to the revised statutes of 1846; remove. Amends sec. 6 of 1978 PA 454 (MCL 554.636). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4987'25

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jennifer Conlin and 14 co-sponsors

Michigan bill removes obsolete 1846 statutory cross-reference from landlord-tenant law to clarify modern housing regulations.

bill electronically reproduced 09/18/2025
#housing:landlordandtenants
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Bill Summary · HB 4988

Legislative bill overview

HB 4988 removes an outdated cross-reference to the 1846 Revised Statutes from Michigan's landlord-tenant law (MCL 554.636), part of the 1978 Landlord Tenant Act. This is a technical cleanup bill tied to companion legislation HB 4987, suggesting broader modernization of housing law provisions.

Why is this important

Outdated statutory cross-references can create confusion for legal practitioners, landlords, and tenants trying to understand their rights and obligations. Removing obsolete references improves code clarity and reduces potential litigation over conflicting or ambiguous legal citations.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope clarification needed: The bill's summary doesn't specify which exact provision or right is affected by removing this 1846 reference, making it difficult to assess whether substantive protections are altered or merely clarified
  • Tie-bar dependency: The bill is tied to HB 4987, meaning its passage depends on companion legislation; without knowing HB 4987's content, the full legislative intent remains unclear
  • Unintended consequences: Removing historical cross-references could inadvertently affect statutory interpretation if courts previously relied on the 1846 reference to resolve ambiguities in landlord-tenant disputes

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

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