Family and Port Huron officials urge passage of 'Joshua Conant Act' to require bouncer training
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Summary
Families and Port Huron officials urged the House Regulatory Reform Committee to pass HB 5060 and HB 5061, the Joshua Conant Act, requiring de‑escalation, CPR, background checks and safe‑restraint training for security personnel after a positional asphyxia death in Port Huron. No committee vote was taken.
Representative Pavlov introduced House Bills 5060 and 5061, the Joshua Conant Act, saying the package would establish statewide training requirements and professional standards for security personnel and bouncers in establishments that serve alcohol.
Sandy Schultz, Joshua Conant's mother, testified about her son's death and urged lawmakers to "pass the Joshua Conant Act" so that other families do not suffer similar losses. "This act...requires deescalation training, CPR certification, background checks, fingerprinting," Schultz said, adding the goal is to make sure bouncers "know the limits of their authority" and call police when necessary.
Mark Sanderson, Joshua's uncle, described the November 4, 2023 incident outside a downtown bar in Port Huron and called the death "a 100% preventable" tragedy that training could have averted.
James Fried, city manager of Port Huron, said the Port Huron City Council adopted a local Joshua Conant ordinance after the death and urged the legislature to adopt similar statewide standards. "On 11/04/2023, Joshua Conant...lost his life by positional asphyxiation," Fried said, and he described local steps including ordinances and collaboration with business owners to implement training.
Committee members asked about criminal charges (none filed locally; special prosecutor was the attorney general's office in that case), business repercussions, and whether requiring licensed security might be preferable. Sponsors said the bill targets this specific problem but could be expanded and that local tools such as liquor‑license revocation and civil liability had been used in Port Huron.
No final vote occurred; the committee recorded testimony and acknowledged cards of support on the record.
