MI HB6538

Changes charitable organization licensing system to a registration system administered by the attorney general, eliminating application fees and streamlining the registration process.

Raises the contribution threshold for registration exemption from $8,000 to $25,000 in any 12-month period, with amounts increasing by $25,000 every 5 years starting January 1, 2020.

Expands prohibited conduct to include misrepresenting donor benefits, wearing law enforcement uniforms during solicitation, failing to honor donor requests to remove personal information from mailing lists, and submitting false documents to the attorney general.

Establishes penalties ranging from misdemeanor charges (up to 6 months imprisonment and $5,000 fine) to felony charges (up to 5 years imprisonment and $20,000 fine) depending on amount fraudulently obtained and type of violation.

Adds provisions allowing county prosecuting attorneys to prosecute violations in addition to the attorney general, and allows non-charitable persons conducting fund-raising for charitable purposes to be subject to the act's prohibitions without requiring registration.