---
type: "Bill"
title: "Criminal procedure; witnesses; support dog when witness testifies; allow under certain circumstances. Amends sec. 2163a of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.2163a)."
description: "Criminal procedure; witnesses; support dog when witness testifies; allow under certain circumstances. Amends sec. 2163a of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.2163a)."
jurisdiction: "us/states/mi"
legislature: "Michigan Legislature"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "HB 5645"
citation: "Michigan HB 5645 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Criminal procedure: witnesses", "Animals: dogs", "Children: other"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 5
action_count: 26
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2018-02-27T05:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2018-08-15T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/366df905-01be-467d-85f9-8c2f79767b3b"
source_url: "http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2018-HB-5645"
source_hash: "2806fb9c6c25884955926c35ced722ea10d54105d7b64098309a8a3fe8f88c4c"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-mi"]
---

# Michigan HB 5645 (2017-2018) — Criminal procedure; witnesses; support dog when witness testifies; allow under certain circumstances. Amends sec. 2163a of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.2163a).

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **As Passed by the House** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2017-2018/billengrossed/House/htm/2018-HEBH-5645.htm)
2. **As Passed by the Senate** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2017-2018/billengrossed/House/htm/2018-HEBS-5645.htm)
3. **House Concurred Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2017-2018/billconcurred/House/htm/2018-HCB-5645.htm)
4. **House Introduced Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2017-2018/billintroduced/House/htm/2018-HIB-5645.htm)
5. **Public Act** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2017-2018/publicact/htm/2018-PA-0282.htm)

## Votes

- passed; given immediate effect Roll Call # 284 Yeas 107 Nays 1 — **107–1** (pass) · lower
- PASSED; GIVEN IMMEDIATE EFFECT ROLL CALL # 459 YEAS 36 NAYS 0 EXCUSED 1 NOT VOTING 0 — **36–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- 71 — cosponsor (person)
- Tom Barrett — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2018-02-27T05:00:00+00:00** introduced by Representative Tom Barrett `introduction`
- **2018-02-27T05:00:00+00:00** read a first time `reading-1`
- **2018-02-27T05:00:00+00:00** referred to Committee on Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2018-02-28T05:00:00+00:00** bill electronically reproduced 02/27/2018
- **2018-05-01T04:00:00+00:00** reported with recommendation without amendment `committee-passage`
- **2018-05-01T04:00:00+00:00** referred to second reading
- **2018-05-09T04:00:00+00:00** read a second time `reading-2`
- **2018-05-09T04:00:00+00:00** placed on third reading
- **2018-05-15T04:00:00+00:00** read a third time `reading-3`
- **2018-05-15T04:00:00+00:00** passed; given immediate effect Roll Call # 284 Yeas 107 Nays 1 `passage`
- **2018-05-15T04:00:00+00:00** transmitted
- **2018-05-16T04:00:00+00:00** REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY `referral-committee`
- **2018-05-30T04:00:00+00:00** REPORTED FAVORABLY WITHOUT AMENDMENT `committee-passage`
- **2018-05-30T04:00:00+00:00** COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE EFFECT
- **2018-05-30T04:00:00+00:00** REFERRED TO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE `referral-committee`
- **2018-06-07T04:00:00+00:00** REPORTED BY COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FAVORABLY WITHOUT AMENDMENT(S) `committee-passage`
- **2018-06-07T04:00:00+00:00** PLACED ON ORDER OF THIRD READING
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** PASSED; GIVEN IMMEDIATE EFFECT ROLL CALL # 459 YEAS 36 NAYS 0 EXCUSED 1 NOT VOTING 0 `passage`
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** INSERTED FULL TITLE
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** returned from Senate without amendment with immediate effect and full title
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** full title agreed to
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** bill ordered enrolled
- **2018-08-15T04:00:00+00:00** presented to the Governor 6/25/2018 @ 3:16 PM `executive-receipt`
- **2018-08-15T04:00:00+00:00** approved by the Governor 6/28/2018 @ 6:58 AM `executive-signature`
- **2018-08-15T04:00:00+00:00** filed with Secretary of State 6/29/2018 @ 11:08 AM
- **2018-08-15T04:00:00+00:00** assigned PA 282'18 with immediate effect

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/366df905-01be-467d-85f9-8c2f79767b3b`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Michigan legislature records).