---
type: "Bill"
title: "Criminal procedure; indigent defense; Michigan indigent defense commission; modify. Amends secs. 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 & 17 of 2013 PA 93 (MCL 780.983 et seq.) & adds sec 22."
description: "Criminal procedure; indigent defense; Michigan indigent defense commission; modify. Amends secs. 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 & 17 of 2013 PA 93 (MCL 780.983 et seq.) & adds sec 22."
jurisdiction: "us/states/mi"
legislature: "Michigan Legislature"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "HB 5985"
citation: "Michigan HB 5985 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Criminal procedure: indigent defense"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 5
action_count: 37
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2018-05-15T04:00:00+00:00"
last_action: "2018-08-15T04:00:00+00:00"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/b6540d6e-4b33-4e8e-bcc4-b267bbb98137"
source_url: "http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2018-HB-5985"
source_hash: "299588ba0802c02d5ab905d8c097a10d6dd9c8d03662ece639c14ece1300f56a"
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 5985 (2017-2018) — Criminal procedure; indigent defense; Michigan indigent defense commission; modify. Amends secs. 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 & 17 of 2013 PA 93 (MCL 780.983 et seq.) & adds sec 22.

## 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-5985.htm)
2. **As Passed by the Senate** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2017-2018/billengrossed/House/htm/2018-HEBS-5985.htm)
3. **House Concurred Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2017-2018/billconcurred/House/htm/2018-HCB-5985.htm)
4. **House Introduced Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2017-2018/billintroduced/House/htm/2018-HIB-5985.htm)
5. **Public Act** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2017-2018/publicact/htm/2018-PA-0214.htm)

## Votes

- Roll Call # 516 Yeas 97 Nays 12 — **97–12** (pass) · lower
- PASSED; GIVEN IMMEDIATE EFFECT ROLL CALL # 444 YEAS 27 NAYS 9 EXCUSED 1 NOT VOTING 0 — **27–9** (pass) · upper
- passed; given immediate effect Roll Call # 390 Yeas 94 Nays 15 — **94–15** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- 74 — cosponsor (person)
- Rob VerHeulen — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2018-05-15T04:00:00+00:00** introduced by Representative Rob VerHeulen `introduction`
- **2018-05-15T04:00:00+00:00** read a first time `reading-1`
- **2018-05-15T04:00:00+00:00** referred to Committee on Appropriations `referral-committee`
- **2018-05-16T04:00:00+00:00** bill electronically reproduced 05/15/2018
- **2018-05-17T04:00:00+00:00** reported with recommendation with substitute H-1 `committee-passage`
- **2018-05-17T04:00:00+00:00** referred to second reading
- **2018-05-23T04:00:00+00:00** read a second time `reading-2`
- **2018-05-23T04:00:00+00:00** substitute H-1 not adopted
- **2018-05-23T04:00:00+00:00** substitute H-2 adopted and amended
- **2018-05-23T04:00:00+00:00** placed on third reading
- **2018-05-23T04:00:00+00:00** placed on immediate passage
- **2018-05-23T04:00:00+00:00** read a third time `reading-3`
- **2018-05-23T04:00:00+00:00** passed; given immediate effect Roll Call # 390 Yeas 94 Nays 15 `passage`
- **2018-05-23T04:00:00+00:00** title amended
- **2018-05-23T04:00:00+00:00** transmitted
- **2018-05-29T04:00:00+00:00** REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS `referral-committee`
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** REPORTED FAVORABLY WITH SUBSTITUTE S-2 `committee-passage`
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE EFFECT
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** REFERRED TO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE WITH SUBSTITUTE S-2 `referral-committee`
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** REPORTED BY COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FAVORABLY WITH SUBSTITUTE S-3 `committee-passage`
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** SUBSTITUTE S-3 CONCURRED IN
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** PLACED ON ORDER OF THIRD READING WITH SUBSTITUTE S-3
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** RULES SUSPENDED
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** PLACED ON IMMEDIATE PASSAGE
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** PASSED; GIVEN IMMEDIATE EFFECT ROLL CALL # 444 YEAS 27 NAYS 9 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 with substitute S-3 with immediate effect and full title
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** laid over one day under the rules
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** rule suspended
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** Senate substitute S-3 concurred in
- **2018-06-12T04:00:00+00:00** Roll Call # 516 Yeas 97 Nays 12
- **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 6/20/2018 @ 2:32 PM `executive-receipt`
- **2018-08-15T04:00:00+00:00** approved by the Governor 6/25/2018 @ 4:52 PM `executive-signature`
- **2018-08-15T04:00:00+00:00** filed with Secretary of State 6/26/2018 @ 1:38 PM
- **2018-08-15T04:00:00+00:00** assigned PA 214'18 with immediate effect

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/b6540d6e-4b33-4e8e-bcc4-b267bbb98137`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Michigan legislature records).