Advocacy News – March 12, 2026
What’s new: Key legal reforms saw action in the State House this week that would deliver more balance, fairness and predictability to Michigan courtrooms:
- Restored Protections for Property Owners: This week the House passed legislation to restore Michigan’s open and obvious premise liability doctrine, a commonsense principle that provides legal protection for property owners when hazards are deemed open and apparent and a person of reasonable intelligence should know to avoid – like a patch of ice or a puddle of water.
- The decades long protection was overturned by the State Supreme Court in 2023, making Michigan one of only nine states in the nation without this protection.
- Judicial Financing Transparency: The Judiciary Committee heard testimony on reforms to third party litigation funding (TPLF,) a practice where financers discreetly fund lawsuits in exchange for a cut of the settlement or award.
- TPLF operates with little to no oversight, enabling secret funders to turn our legal system into an unregulated investment tool financed by Michigan taxpayers.
Broader context: Michigan’s legal climate has tremendous impact on job providers and our state economy. Today’s system costs Michigan nearly 100,000 jobs opportunities every year, and raises the cost to do business for employers small and large.
What we’re saying: The Michigan Chamber continues to champion legal reforms like HB 4582 and HB 5281, which would equip job providers with the certainly they need to survive and thrive in Michigan. The MI Chamber is also a proud member of the Michigan Alliance for Legal Reform, a coalition effort dedicated to rein in lawsuit abuse and retore balance and fairness in Michigan’s legal system.
Deeper Dive: Learn more about the Michigan Alliance for Legal Reform, and watch committee testimony in support of TPLF reform.
For questions or more information, contact Randy Gross.