HB 4501 Summary

• Adds section 296 to the Michigan Penal Code to criminalize obtaining services or property through deception, threats, false tokens, or failure to pay after agreement.

• Creates rebuttable presumptions of intent to avoid payment if a person absconds without paying, expressly refuses payment, fails to pay within 10 days of notice, or fails to return rental property within specified timeframes (3-5 days depending on property value).

• Establishes tiered felony and misdemeanor penalties based on property value: felony up to 10 years imprisonment for property valued at $20,000 or more; felony up to 5 years for $1,000-$19,999; misdemeanor up to 1 year for $200-$999; and misdemeanor up to 93 days for property under $200.

• Enhances penalties for repeat offenders: persons with 2 or more prior convictions face felony charges for mid-range property values, and persons with 1 or more prior convictions face elevated misdemeanor charges.

• Permits aggregation of property values from multiple incidents within a 12-month period under a scheme or course of conduct, and requires prosecutors to list prior convictions in charging documents if seeking enhanced sentences.