UNFIT WORK HORSES & MULES H.B. 5775:
SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
House Bill 5775 (as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Roger Hauck
CONTENT
The bill would repeal Section 59 of the Michigan Penal Code, which prescribes a misdemeanor for a person who sells or trades, or leads, drives, or rides on a public way, any horse or mule that is permanently unfit for work.
Specifically, under Section 59, any person who offers to sell, sells, or trades any horse or mule, which by reason of debility, disease, lameness, injury, or any other cause is permanently unfit for work, except to a person or corporation operating a horse hospital, animal retreat farm, or other institution or place designed or maintained for the humane keeping, treatment, or killing of horses, mules, or other livestock, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Additionally, any person who leads, drives, or rides a horse or mule, which due to debility, disease, lameness, injury, or any other cause is permanently unfit for work, on any public way for any purpose, except for conveying the animal to a proper place for humane keeping, killing, or medical or surgical treatment, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
The bill would repeal Section 59.
MCL 750.59 Legislative Analyst: Stephen Jackson
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on the State and likely no fiscal impact on local government. It is unknown whether any individual would be charged or convicted of a misdemeanor under the provision being repealed, but any reduction in misdemeanor arrests and convictions would reduce resource demands on law enforcement, courts, community corrections, and jails. Any reduced fine revenue would reduce revenue for public libraries.
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.