LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – A Michigan House lawmaker wants to add a “regulatory compliance exemption” to Michigan’s Consumer Protection Act in order to protect small businesses.
State Rep. Bill G. Schuette (R-Midland) introduced House Bill 5725 which would protect businesses from most consumer protection lawsuits if they are already regulated by a state or federal agency.
Rep. Schuette spoke on The Steve Gruber Show on Tuesday. He said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is asking the state Supreme Court to narrow the exemption. “What we’ve seen with Attorney General Dana Nessel is not only her costing taxpayer dollars with her entering these frivolous, losing lawsuits on behalf of liberal causes that ultimately fail in court time after time, but we also see her punishing Michigan businesses,” Shuette said. “[Nessel is] trying to subject them to even more needless and burdensome regulations that’s really going to make [life difficult for] your mom and pop small business.”
He added, “That’s something we need to restrict.”
Nessel issued a statement to the media, saying Schuette’s bill is allows predatory business practices to continue and cited Michigan’s consumer protection laws as some of the weakest in the nation. She also threw shade at Schuette’s father, former Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette. “The son of a former attorney general should know better,” Nessel said.
When asked whether the bill would kill her lawsuit, Schuette said price gouging would still be illegal under separate Michigan statutes, and that prior attorneys general, including Jennifer Granholm and Mike Cox, pursued price gouging cases without relying on the broader interpretation Nessel is seeking.
Schuette fired back at the Whitmer administration. “Michigan already is a tough enough state to do business. Dana Nessel wants to make it even worse.”
HB 5725 has been referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
