HB 4527 Michigan House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Disabilities: other; penalties for certain violations to provision in use of travel aids by blind persons act; increase. Amends secs. 1a, 2 & 3 of 1937 PA 10 (MCL 752.51a et seq.).

HB 4527 increases penalties for violations of laws protecting blind persons using travel aids, such as canes or guide dogs. It directly affects individuals who obstruct or interfere with these aids, making the legal consequences stricter. The bill amends existing Michigan law (MCL 752.51a et seq.) to raise fines and penalties for offenses like blocking a blind person's path or damaging their travel device. This change aims to better safeguard mobility for blind residents by strengthening enforcement of existing protections. The bill is currently pending third reading in the legislature.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jun 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2026

House Passage

Nov 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jun 3, 2025 Last action Feb 18, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

House Introduced Bill → Substitute (H-1) · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill amendment strengthens protections for blind pedestrians by clarifying legal definitions, adding explicit rights for those who don't use mobility aids, and increasing criminal penalties for violations. The changes make it clearer that blind pedestrians have full legal rights regardless of whether they use canes, service animals, or walkers, and raise penalties for causing death or injury to blind pedestrians or their service animals.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly states that blind pedestrians who do not use mobility aids retain all rights and privileges under state law, and adds new felony penalties for causing death to blind pedestrians or their service animals through gross negligence.

DEFINITION

Added clarification that blind pedestrians who do not carry a cane or use a service animal/walker still have all rights and privileges under state law, and their failure to use aids cannot be used as evidence of negligence in civil cases.

Corrected grammatical errors in definitions and added 'service animal' definition reference to clarify legal protections for trained assistance animals.

ENFORCEMENT

Increased criminal penalties from misdemeanor to felony for causing death to a blind pedestrian (up to 15 years imprisonment and $7,500 fine) and for causing death to a blind pedestrian's service animal (up to 5 years imprisonment and $7,500 fine).

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 18, 2026

Committee

referred to Committee on Judiciary

lower

Nov 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

substitute (H-1) adopted

lower

Jun 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

reported with recommendation with substitute (H-1)

lower

Jun 11, 2025

Committee

referred to second reading

lower

Jun 3, 2025

Committee

referred to Committee on Health Policy

lower

Jun 3, 2025

Introduced

introduced by Representative Rep. Curtis VanderWall

lower

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors