LANSING, Mich. (Nov. 5, 2025) — Today, the Michigan Supreme Court will take up arguments between Attorney General Dana Nessel and Eli Lilly and Company, where Nessel is seeking to determine whether the drug manufacturer violated the Michigan Consumer Protection Act (MCPA) by price gouging its insulin prices. As the sponsor of Senate-passed legislation that would restore power to the MCPA, Senate Majority Floor Leader Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) has released the following statement about the case beginning today:
“For too long now, Michigan’s worst-in-the-nation consumer protection laws have left residents across the state vulnerable to exploitation and fraudulent business practices — in this case, drug manufacturers profiting off of people’s pain. While it’s my hope that the outcome of this case sets the dial in the right direction, we must also change the laws on our books to prioritize protections for consumers over corporations.
“By restoring power to the Michigan Consumer Protection Act and giving more tools to the Attorney General’s office to hold bad actors accountable, my legislation would give Michiganders the peace of mind they deserve as they go about their day-to-day activities and purchases.”
Michigan’s once-powerful Consumer Protection Act — gutted following a 1999 Michigan Supreme Court ruling — currently condones deceptive and fraudulent activities of individuals and businesses as long as they operate within a profession that is subject to government regulation. Sen. Singh’s legislation, Senate Bill 134, would remove those exemptions as well as empower the Michigan Dept. of Attorney General with the authority to investigate, ensuring bad actors and deceitful business practices can be held accountable under state law.
“State law enforcement has been at the front lines of stopping fraud and abuse that picks the pockets of families trying to get by,” said Rohit Chopra, former Director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, when the Singh bill was introduced. “Michigan needs strong laws to protect consumers, especially at a time when federal law enforcement agencies face mass firings and less capacity to investigate crime.”
This legislation is a response to the Michigan Supreme Court 1999 case decision in Smith v. Globe Life Insurance Company, which weakened the power of the MCPA by exempting many industries from liability, leaving residents ill-protected from scams and other deceptive activities. The case beginning today would not only decide the legitimacy of Nessel’s assertion regarding Eli Lilly — it would also determine the validity of two precedential cases, including Smith v. Globe Life.
Along with restoring investigative and enforcement capacity to the state Attorney General’s office, Senate Bill 134 would also create a new fund to support enforcement and education efforts to assist residents and reduce scams. This legislation would also better protect elderly and vulnerable adults by boosting penalties for violations against these individuals.
This legislation builds on Sen. Singh and Senate Democrats’ efforts last session to better protect Michigan consumers. It has been sent to the Michigan House for further consideration.