House Judiciary Committee adopts amendment and reports HB 4021

At a meeting of the House Judiciary Committee, members adopted an amendment to House Bill 4021 that changes the magistrate's role from conducting a trial to providing rights and information at pretrial, and then voted to report the bill with recommendation as amended.

The amendment was offered by Representative Wozniak and would strike the phrase "conduct a trial" from the bill and replace it with language directing magistrates to "provide the rights and information at pretrial." Representative Wozniak said the change "should give both parties enough information, if they need to, to go to trial after the magistrate explains all their rights." The committee adopted that amendment by voice/roll-call with 11 ayes, 0 nays and 0 passes.

After the amendment, Representative Bagole moved to report House Bill 4021 with recommendation as amended. The committee roll call returned 10 yeas, 0 nays and 1 pass; the clerk announced: "House bill 4,021 is reported with recommendation as amended as a new sub." The committee record shows that several organizations submitted cards for the bill; Jim Schofsma of the Michigan Poverty Law Program registered neutral and did not wish to speak, while Sean Cecil (Michigan realtor) and Nathan Triplett (State Bar) registered support but did not speak.

Committee members did not move other amendments on the floor during the discussion recorded in the transcript. The bill was sent out of committee with the committee's recommendation as amended; no final floor action is recorded in the committee transcript.

The committee will follow its usual legislative process: reported bills are placed on the House calendar for further consideration by the full House or referral to subsequent committees as required by chamber rules.