---
type: "Bill"
title: "Courts: other; age requirement for the use of a courtroom support dog; modify. Amends sec. 2163a of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.2163a)."
description: "Courts: other; age requirement for the use of a courtroom support dog; modify. Amends sec. 2163a of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.2163a)."
jurisdiction: "us/states/mi"
legislature: "Michigan Legislature"
session: "2023-2024"
identifier: "SB 248"
citation: "Michigan SB 248 (2023-2024)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Animals: service animals", "Courts: other"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Dan Lauwers"]
version_count: 5
action_count: 31
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2023-04-11"
last_action: "2024-12-31"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/25c26d9b-4636-4a12-8168-ee6654fc8346"
source_url: "https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2023-SB-0248"
source_hash: "f47590ab0b69d1beaf87854f08357390da7276865c1e1cdf27f24e3bac09f7c4"
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 SB 248 (2023-2024) — Courts: other; age requirement for the use of a courtroom support dog; modify. 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](https://legislature.mi.gov/documents/2023-2024/billengrossed/Senate/pdf/2023-SEBH-0248.pdf)
2. **As Passed by the Senate** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.mi.gov/documents/2023-2024/billengrossed/Senate/pdf/2023-SEBS-0248.pdf)
3. **Public Act** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.mi.gov/documents/2023-2024/publicact/pdf/2024-PA-0182.pdf)
4. **Senate Concurred Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.mi.gov/documents/2023-2024/billconcurred/Senate/pdf/2023-SCB-0248.pdf)
5. **Senate Introduced Bill** (committee substitute) — [source](https://legislature.mi.gov/documents/2023-2024/billintroduced/Senate/pdf/2023-SIB-0248.pdf)

## Votes

- ROLL CALL: ROLL CALL # 571 YEAS 35 NAYS 0 EXCUSED 3 NOT VOTING 0 — **5–3** (pass) · upper
- passed; given immediate effect Roll Call # 354 Yeas 99 Nays 3 Excused 0 Not Voting 8 — **99–3** (pass) · lower
- PASSED ROLL CALL # 341 YEAS 38 NAYS 0 EXCUSED 0 NOT VOTING 0 — **38–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Dan Lauwers — primary (person)
- Kristen McDonald Rivet — cosponsor (person)
- Paul Wojno — cosponsor (person)
- Stephanie Chang — cosponsor (person)
- Sylvia A. Santana — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

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

- **2023-04-11** INTRODUCED BY SENATOR DAN LAUWERS `introduction`
- **2023-04-11** REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CIVIL RIGHTS, JUDICIARY, AND PUBLIC SAFETY `referral-committee`
- **2023-06-13** REPORTED FAVORABLY WITH SUBSTITUTE (S-1) `committee-passage`
- **2023-06-13** REFERRED TO COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE WITH SUBSTITUTE (S-1) `referral-committee`
- **2023-06-13** RULES SUSPENDED FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION
- **2023-06-13** REPORTED BY COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE FAVORABLY WITH SUBSTITUTE (S-1) `committee-passage`
- **2023-06-13** SUBSTITUTE (S-1) CONCURRED IN
- **2023-06-13** PLACED ON ORDER OF THIRD READING WITH SUBSTITUTE (S-1)
- **2023-06-14** PASSED ROLL CALL # 341 YEAS 38 NAYS 0 EXCUSED 0 NOT VOTING 0 `passage`
- **2023-06-14** received on 06/14/2023 `introduction`
- **2023-06-14** read a first time `reading-1`
- **2023-06-14** referred to Committee on Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2023-10-11** reported with recommendation with substitute (H-1) `committee-passage`
- **2023-10-11** referred to second reading
- **2024-06-18** read a second time `reading-2`
- **2024-06-18** substitute (H-1) adopted
- **2024-06-18** placed on third reading
- **2024-11-14** read a third time `reading-3`
- **2024-11-14** passed; given immediate effect Roll Call # 354 Yeas 99 Nays 3 Excused 0 Not Voting 8 `passage`
- **2024-11-14** inserted full title
- **2024-11-14** returned to Senate
- **2024-12-12** PASSED BY HOUSE WITH SUBSTITUTE (H-1) WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT `passage`
- **2024-12-12** RULES SUSPENDED FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION
- **2024-12-12** HOUSE SUBSTITUTE (H-1) CONCURRED IN
- **2024-12-12** ROLL CALL: ROLL CALL # 571 YEAS 35 NAYS 0 EXCUSED 3 NOT VOTING 0
- **2023-12-12** FULL TITLE AGREED TO
- **2024-12-12** ORDERED ENROLLED
- **2024-12-20** PRESENTED TO GOVERNOR 12/19/2024 09:36 AM `executive-receipt`
- **2024-12-31** APPROVED BY GOVERNOR 12/30/2024 10:08 AM `executive-signature`
- **2024-12-31** FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE 12/30/2024 11:40 AM
- **2024-12-31** ASSIGNED PA 0182'24

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/25c26d9b-4636-4a12-8168-ee6654fc8346`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Michigan legislature records).