Bill > HB5778

This bill increases the penalties for trespassing in Michigan by amending Section 552 of the Michigan Penal Code. Specifically, it makes it a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail or a $500 fine, for a person to trespass on another's land after having been previously convicted of trespassing. For a first offense, the penalty remains a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail or a $250 fine, or both. The bill clarifies that a "process server," defined as someone authorized to serve legal documents, is exempt from these trespassing laws when attempting to serve process on an owner, occupant, or lessee of the property by the most direct route. The changes are intended to strengthen protections against unauthorized entry onto private property, particularly farmland, while ensuring that the delivery of legal documents can still occur.