Michigan House Bill HB4507

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/21/25
• Refer: 5/21/25
• Report Pass: 6/25/25

Caption

Crimes: penalties; mandatory life imprisonment for certain crimes in the public health code; modify for certain offenders. Amends sec. 17764 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.17764). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4506'25

Summary

HB 4507 amends section 17764 of Michigan’s Public Health Code, which governs the sale and manufacture of drugs and devices that are mislabeled, adulterated, or misbranded. The bill keeps the existing misdemeanor penalty for selling or manufacturing a drug or device with a misleading label, and it retains the felony penalties for knowingly or recklessly adulterating, misbranding, removing, substituting, selling, or manufacturing adulterated or misbranded drugs or devices. The main change is to revise the penalty language for violations of subsection (2) that cause harm. The bill specifies felony penalties of up to 4 years for personal injury, up to 5 years for serious impairment of a body function, and up to 15 years for death. It also provides that if a person commits such a violation with intent to kill or to cause serious impairment of a body function to two or more individuals and death results, the person is subject to life imprisonment without parole and a fine of up to $40,000. The bill is tie-barred to HB 4506, meaning it would not take effect unless that related bill is enacted.

Impact

HB 4507 would amend Michigan Compiled Laws section 333.17764 in the Public Health Code by clarifying and restructuring criminal penalties for drug and device adulteration and misbranding offenses. It preserves the underlying prohibition on misleading labels and unlawful handling of adulterated or misbranded products, while updating the gradation of penalties tied to resulting injury, serious bodily harm, death, and intentional conduct causing death. The bill would affect manufacturers, distributors, sellers, and other persons involved in the sale or production of drugs and devices, and it would continue to allow separate prosecution for any other offenses committed during the same conduct.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests the bill was generally supported in committee, as it was reported with recommendation without amendment by a 7-4 vote. The lack of recorded committee testimony limits insight into broader public debate, but the committee action indicates the bill had enough support to advance while still drawing some opposition. Overall, the measure appears to have been treated as a criminal-penalty update rather than a controversial policy overhaul.

Contention

The likely point of contention is the bill’s expansion and clarification of severe criminal penalties, especially the life-without-parole provision for intentional violations resulting in death. Opponents may object to the harshness of the sentencing structure or to the tie-bar arrangement with HB 4506, which makes enactment dependent on another bill. Supporters likely view the bill as a public-safety measure aimed at deterring dangerous drug and device fraud and aligning penalties more closely with the harm caused.