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Read. Follow. Verify.Michigan Bill Establishes Criminal Penalties for Threats, Harassment, and Assaults Against State-Designated Caregivers
Last action · September 23, 2026: referred to second readingSponsors: Phil Green and 2 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Threatening, harassing, or intimidating a Department of Health and Human Services designated caregiver becomes a misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in prison and a $1,000 fine. Causing physical injury to a caregiver while they perform their duties is a felony punishable by up to 2 years in prison, while causing is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and fines between $1,000 and $5,000. The measure applies to foster parents, s, , and adoptive parents of children formerly in foster care, and takes effect 90 days after enactment provided a related bill also passes.
Foster parents and s face heightened criminal penalties for offenders who target them due to their caregiving status, establishing dedicated protections carrying up to five years of imprisonment for severe injuries.
- The Michigan penal code (1931 PA 328) serves as the primary statutory framework establishing crimes and penalties within the state. context
- Phil Green introduced House Bill 5684 during the 2025-2026 legislative session in the lower house. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Department of Health and Human Services designated caregivers
Foster parents, kinship caregivers, fictive kin, and adoptive parents receive expanded legal protections carrying specific misdemeanor and felony penalties for threats, harassment, or assaults.
Individuals accused of targeting caregivers
Individuals who communicate threats, harass, intimidate, or assault designated caregivers face new misdemeanor or felony criminal charges and imprisonment or financial penalties.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies as a Department of Health and Human Services designated caregiver under this bill?
What are the penalties for threatening a designated caregiver?
What conditions must be met for this bill to take effect?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
6 actions- Sep 23, 2026Housereferred to second reading
- Sep 23, 2026HouseCommitteereported with recommendation without amendment
- Mar 10, 2026Housebill electronically reproduced 03/05/2026
- Mar 5, 2026HouseCommitteereferred to Committee on Judiciary
- Mar 5, 2026HouseIntroducedread a first time
- Mar 5, 2026HouseIntroducedintroduced by Representative Rep. Phil Green
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Conditional Legislative Enactment
The bill explicitly relies on the passage of a companion bill (Senate Bill No. ____ or House Bill No. 5685) to take effect.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.mi.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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