Public Act 423 of 2004

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• Introduced by Rep. Mike Nofs (R) on December 3, 2003, to make it a crime punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine to make an audiovisual recording of a movie in a movie theater without the consent of the theater owner. The bill provides some immunity from civil damages for theater personnel who detain a person caught making or transmitting such a recording (within reasonable limits). The bill would also apply to recordings or transmissions made with cell phone cameras.
  • Referred to the House Criminal Justice Committee on December 3, 2003.
    • Reported in the House on December 10, 2003, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the House on December 17, 2003, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that proposes less rigorous penalties (but still makes violations a felony). The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on December 17, 2003.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Mike Nofs (R) on December 17, 2003, to clarify that the proposed penalties only apply in a movie theater, not in a retail store which sells audiovisual recording equipment (including camera cell phones). The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on December 17, 2003.
• Passed in the House (109 to 0) on December 17, 2003, to make it a crime punishable by up to one year in prison and a $10,000 fine, or up to four years and $40,000 for a third offense, to make an audiovisual recording of a movie in a movie theater without the consent of the theater owner. See also Senate Bill 1387. These bills would also apply to recordings or transmissions made with cell phone cameras. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on December 18, 2003.
  • Referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on December 18, 2003.
    • Reported in the Senate on September 23, 2004, with the recommendation that the substitute (S-2) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the Senate on September 29, 2004, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that does not provide the provisons offering immunity from civil damages for theater personnel who detain a person caught making or transmitting such a recording. This is now contained in Senate Bill 1387. The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on September 29, 2004.
• Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on September 30, 2004, to make it a crime punishable by up to one year in prison and a $10,000 fine, or up to four years and $40,000 for a third offense, to make an audiovisual recording of a movie in a movie theater without the consent of the theater owner. The bill would also apply to recordings or transmissions made with cell phone cameras. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on November 4, 2004.
• Passed in the House (100 to 0) on November 30, 2004, to concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on December 15, 2004.