SB-1387, As Passed House, November 30, 2004SB-1387, As Passed Senate, September 30, 2004                                                                        

SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL NO. 1387

                                                                             A bill to amend 1961 PA 236, entitled                                             

"Revised judicature act of 1961,"                                           

(MCL 600.101 to 600.9947) by adding section 2953a.                          

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1   Sec. 2953a.  (1) A person who commits an act that                           

2   constitutes a motion picture recording violation is liable to a             

3   person injured by the violation for 1 or more of the following:             

4       (a) Actual damages.                                                         

5       (b) Exemplary damages of not more than $1,000.00.                           

6       (c) If the person who committed the violation was acting for                

7   direct or indirect commercial advantage or financial gain,                  

8   exemplary damages of not more than $50,000.00.                              

9       (d) Reasonable attorney fees and costs.                                     

10      (2) If a person who commits an act that constitutes a motion                

11  picture recording violation is an unemancipated minor who lives             

1   with his or her parent or parents, the parent or parents are also           

2   liable to a person injured by the violation for damages allowable           

3   under this section.                                                         

4       (3) A person injured by a motion picture recording violation                

5   may recover damages described in subsection (1) only if a formal            

6   incident report that contains factual allegations that the                  

7   defendant committed a motion picture recording violation is filed           

8   with a local law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the              

9   location where the violation took place.  However, recovery under           

10  this section is not dependent on the outcome of a criminal                  

11  prosecution.                                                                

12      (4) A person injured by a motion picture recording violation                

13  may bring an action to enjoin a person from the unauthorized                

14  recording, receipt, or transmission of a recording or                       

15  transmission of a motion picture or a part of a motion picture              

16  obtained or made by a motion picture recording violation or from            

17  committing a motion picture recording violation.  A person may              

18  bring an action under this subsection regardless of whether the             

19  person has suffered or will suffer actual damages.                          

20  (5) An action under this section is in addition to any other                

21  criminal or civil penalties or remedies provided by law.                    

22      (6) As used in this section:                                                

23      (a) "Motion picture recording violation" means a violation                  

24  of section 465a of the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL                

25  750.465a.                                                                   

26      (b) "A person injured by a motion picture recording                         

27  violation" includes, but is not limited to, the owner or lessee             

1   of the theatrical facility where the motion picture that is the             

2   subject of the violation was being shown.

3       Enacting section 1.  This amendatory act takes effect 90                    

4   days after the date it is enacted.                                          

5       Enacting section 2.  This amendatory act does not take                      

6   effect unless House Bill No. 5347 of the 92nd Legislature is                

7   enacted into law.