US Protest Law Tracker
The US Protest Law Tracker follows state and federal legislation introduced since January 2017 that restricts the right to peaceful assembly. For more information, visit our Analysis of US Anti-Protest Bills page.
45 states have
considered 349 bills
52 enacted 40 pending
No initiatives
Pending, defeated or expired initiatives
Enacted initiatives
Legislation
Latest updates: May. 9, 2025 (Arizona, New Jersey, North Carolina), Apr. 30, 2025 (Idaho, Indiana), Apr. 29, 2025 (Pennsylvania, Tennessee)
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4 entries matching in provided filters in 1 states. Clear all filters
Michigan
HB 5708: Mandatory penalties for "riot" and "incitement to riot"
Would impose steep, mandatory penalties for “riot” and “incitement to riot” offenses. Under the bill, an individual convicted of “riot” would face at least five years and up to life in prison, while one convicted of “incitement to riot” would face at least ten years and up to life in prison. Currant Michigan law provides for a sentence of “not more than” ten years for either offense, giving judges discretion to order more lenient sentences or avoid imprisonment altogether. Michigan law defines “riot” as a group of at least five people who “wrongfully engage in violent conduct” and “cause or create a serious risk of causing public terror or alarm.” “Inciting to riot” is defined as “intending to cause or to aid or abet” a “riot” and doing something that urges other people to engage in “unlawful force or violence, or the unlawful burning or destroying of property, or the unlawful interference” with law enforcement. Neither offense requires that actual unlawful violence, injury, or property damage occur.
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See full text of bill here)
Status: defeated / expired
Introduced 7 May 2024.
Issue(s): Riot
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Michigan
HB 6269: Revoking Public Benefits of those Charged during "Civil Unrest"
Would revoke public assistance benefits for one year for someone who is "charged with looting, vandalism, or a violent crime in relation to or stemming from civil unrest." "Civil unrest" is defined to include simply unlawfully blocking a sidewalk or roadway or an unlawful assembly. "Violent crime" is defined broadly to include "intimidation, threat, or coercion." As such, a nonviolent protester who was charged, but not convicted, of making a threat or being intimidating at a protest could lose their public assistance, including medical and food assistance from the state. The bill further requires that if the person has their child with them when they are charged with a covered crime that the individual will be reported to child protective services. (See full text of bill here)
Status: defeated / expired
Introduced 29 Sep 2020.
Issue(s): Riot, Limit on Public Benefits
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Michigan
HB 4436: New limits on campus protests
Would impose new limits on protests at public colleges and universities. The bill would require all public institutions of higher education to adopt a policy prohibiting protests and demonstrations that "substantially and materially infringe upon the rights of others to engage in or listen to expressive activity," and make protesters involved in such assemblies "subject to sanction." As a result, protests in public areas of campus that, for instance, made it difficult to hear a speech, would be banned and its participants liable to penalties. The policy would apply not only to students and faculty but any other person "lawfully present on campus." (See full text of bill here)
Status: defeated / expired
Introduced 9 Apr 2019.
Issue(s): Campus Protests
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Michigan
SB 350: Mandatory sanctions for campus protesters
Would create mandatory disciplinary sanctions that could be applied to peaceful protesters on college and university campuses. The bill requires community and public colleges to prohibit and subject to sanction any "protests or demonstrations that infringe upon the rights of others to engage in or listen to expressive activity" on campus. The bill requires that college administrators suspend for at least one year or expel any student who is twice "found responsible for infringing on the expressive rights of others," for instance through a protest or demonstration. (See full text of bill here)
Status: defeated / expired
Introduced 2 May 2017.
Issue(s): Campus Protests
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For more information about the Tracker, contact Elly Page at EPage@icnl.org.
