MISDEMEANORS: INCREASE MAXIMUM FINES
House Bill 6079
Sponsor: Rep. James Koetje
Committee: Criminal Justice
Complete to 5-20-02
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 6079 AS INTRODUCED 5-9-02
Some misdemeanor convictions carry the possibility of a fine, imprisonment, or both. Often a statute specifies a maximum amount that a court could impose for a particular offense. The bill would amend the Michigan Penal Code to raise the maximum amount of a fine that could be imposed by a court for a conviction of various misdemeanor offenses, as follows:
· From a maximum fine of $100 to $500. Improper burial of a dead animal; act against a pregnant woman resulting in physical injury to the embryo or fetus; requiring employees to insure with a particular insurance company; serving nonapproved notice on debtor; advertising, printing, or publishing lottery tickets; false report of a commission of a crime; first offense of unauthorized use of vehicle but without intent to steal; purchase by employee upon public credit for own use; and knowingly publishing a telecommunication access device with intent it be used.
· From a maximum fine of $100 to $1,000. Unmarried woman concealing the death of an issue of her body; and offering for sale or using a false weight or measure in the buying and selling of any commodity or thing or for hire or reward.
· From a maximum fine of $250 to $750. Failure to register a docked horse; taking money from vending machines, coin changers, etc.; breaking into outside showcase; bribing a law enforcement officer; entering into contract for market price-fixing or restricting amount of production of product; using reproachful language in print for not accepting or fighting a duel; physician fee-splitting; physicians employing "drummers" to solicit patients; knowingly leasing house for prostitution, etc.; and basing discipline or discharge of railroad employee on report of railroad detective without giving notice to employee and providing hearing; neglecting or refusing to suppress riotous or unlawful assembly.
· From a maximum of $300 to $750. Sale of kerosene with flashpoint of less than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
· From a maximum fine of $500 to $750. Solicitation of personal injury claims; selling or buying identity of patient; and malicious use of service provided by communications common carrier.
· From a maximum fine of $500 to $1,000. Fraudulently adulterating any drug or medicine; possessing with intent to sell or selling adulterated cream or butter; deceptive/false advertising; advertising cure or products to treat or cure sexual diseases, loss of manhood, or to produce miscarriage; trick or acrobatic flying that endangers life or property on the ground; flying below 1,500 feet; intentionally causing physical harm to a police dog or police horse;
docking a horse's tail when not medically necessary; taking or giving bribes for business purposes; interfering with child custody order; using child under 16 years of age for wire walking, contortionist, gymnast, or obscene purpose, etc. if possibly injurious to the child; accepting bribe to conceal the commission of a felony offense; dueling; smuggling object to prisoner to aid in escape; aiding prisoner to escape; refusal to serve process or apprehend person resulting in escape of person; aiding in escape of prisoner being transported through state; escaping from lawful custody; falsely acting as law enforcement officer, conservation officer, constable, or coroner; wearing disguise to obstruct or hinder due execution of law; impersonating public officer or public employee and further operation of legal process so as to affect persons or property; knowingly making false statement about property valuation for purpose of obtaining credit; raising false alarm of fire in public place; counterfeiting an identifying mark or using, possessing, or delivering a counterfeit mark; possessing a counterfeit mark with intent to use or deliver; marking merchandise as "silver", etc., unless 925/1000 of parts of article are pure silver; making or selling article falsely marked as coin or coin silver; obtaining or attempting to falsely register animals as pure-breds; making fraudulent records of milk and butter fat production of cows; practicing medicine under a false or assumed name; accepting money contingent on outcome of contest; keeping gambling house; keeping, operating, etc., room with devices for registering bets or buying or selling betting pools; advertising the making or laying of bets; possession of pool tickets, pool books, etc.; winning not more than $50 by betting; selling or publishing reports of betting odds on certain horse races; participating in any capacity in horse races not authorized by law; lewd and lascivious behavior; indecent exposure; larceny from vacant buildings; second or subsequent offense of libel and slander; false or misleading statements regarding insurance companies; removing or destroying buoy; desertion from military service; resisting and inciting resistance to military draft; concealing or harboring deserters; unneeded request for ambulance; physician prescribing drug, poison, or medicine while intoxicated; knowingly selling diseased, corrupted, or unwholesome meat or drink; willful neglect of duty by public officer or employee; officer collecting money in excess of fine due, etc, and not paying over same amount; refusal by public officer to furnish or copy public documents; equipping vehicle to receive signals assigned for police purposes; making false report to police broadcasting station; copper or silver mine employee or other person selling, etc., any raw or unmanufactured metals.
· From a maximum fine of $1,000 to $1,500. Intentionally causing physical harm to a police dog or horse during commission of a crime; second or subsequent offense of impersonating public officer or public employee and further operation of legal process so as to affect persons or property; making false statements in writing to a bank, firm, or corporation engaged in banking, etc. regarding his or her own financial condition or the condition of a bank, firm, etc. he or she is connected with; and using automobile without authority but without intent to steal.
MCL 750.16 et. al.
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.