Michigan Senate Bill SB0050

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25
• Refer: 2/4/25

Caption

Criminal procedure: sentencing guidelines; reference to section of the Michigan occupational safety and health act; amend to reflect repeal. Amends sec. 14b, ch. XVII of 1927 PA 175 (MCL 777.14b). TIE BAR WITH: SB 49'25

Summary

Senate Bill 50 amends Michigan’s sentencing guidelines statute, specifically section 14b of chapter XVII of the Code of Criminal Procedure, to update cross-references to offenses in the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act and related child labor provisions. The bill appears to be a technical conforming change: it revises the list of felonies to which the sentencing guidelines chapter applies so that the statute reflects the repeal or renumbering of a referenced section of the occupational safety and health law. The bill’s text shows that the affected offenses include MIOSHA violations causing an employee death, including subsequent offenses, and certain child labor offenses such as employing children during prohibited hours or in child sexually abusive activity. The bill is tied to Senate Bill 49, meaning it would not take effect unless that companion bill is enacted into law.

Impact

SB 50 would amend MCL 777.14b, which governs which felony offenses are covered by Michigan’s sentencing guidelines, by updating statutory references and preserving guideline coverage for the listed offenses. In practical terms, it affects how courts classify and sentence certain workplace safety and child labor crimes, but it does not create new crimes or change the underlying penalties for those offenses. Its legal effect is largely technical and dependent on enactment of the tie-barred companion bill, SB 49.

Sentiment

The available record suggests a neutral, technical policy posture rather than a controversial one. Because the bill is a conforming amendment tied to another bill and aimed at updating outdated statutory references, it likely drew support as a housekeeping measure to keep the sentencing code aligned with current law. No committee debate or recorded votes were provided, so there is no evidence of organized opposition in the materials supplied.

Contention

The main point of contention, if any, is procedural rather than substantive: the bill is tie-barred to SB 49 and therefore cannot take effect independently. That means its fate depends on the companion bill’s enactment. Substantively, the bill touches offenses involving workplace fatalities under MIOSHA and child labor/child exploitation provisions, but the text provided does not show disagreement over those policy areas; the change is limited to updating sentencing-guideline references.