HOUSE BILL No. 5217

 

January 9, 2014, Introduced by Reps. Walsh, Shirkey, Haveman and Robinson and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

 

     A bill to amend 1961 PA 236, entitled

 

"Revised judicature act of 1961,"

 

(MCL 600.101 to 600.9947) by adding section 2956a.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 2956a. (1) In an action based on tort or another legal

 

theory seeking damages for personal injury, property damage, or

 

wrongful death, a certificate of employability issued to an

 

individual under section 234d of the corrections code of 1953, 1953

 

PA 232, MCL 791.234d, may be introduced as evidence of a person's

 

due care in hiring, retaining, licensing, leasing to, admitting to

 

a school or program, or otherwise transacting business or engaging

 

in activity with the individual to whom the certificate of

 

employability was issued, if the person knew of the certificate at

 

the time of the alleged negligence or other fault.

 


     (2) In an action based on tort or another legal theory seeking

 

damages for personal injury, property damage, or wrongful death, if

 

a claim against an employer requires proof that the employer was

 

negligent in hiring an individual, a certificate of employability

 

issued to an individual under section 234d of the corrections code

 

of 1953, 1953 PA 232, MCL 791.234d, provides immunity for the

 

employer as to the claim, if the employer knew of the certificate

 

at the time of the alleged negligence.

 

     (3) If an individual who has been issued a certificate of

 

employability under section 234d of the corrections code of 1953,

 

1953 PA 232, MCL 791.234d, is hired and subsequently demonstrates

 

that he or she is a danger to individuals or property or is

 

convicted of or pleads guilty to a felony, an employer who retains

 

the individual as an employee is not liable in a civil action that

 

requires proof that the employer was negligent in retaining the

 

individual as an employee unless a preponderance of the evidence

 

establishes that the person having hiring and firing responsibility

 

for the employer had actual knowledge that the individual was

 

dangerous or had been convicted of or pleaded guilty to the

 

subsequent felony, and the person was willful in retaining the

 

individual as an employee.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect

 

unless Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 5216 (request no.

 

03559'13) of the 97th Legislature is enacted into law.