Lawmakers are mulling lots of gun bills
House Republicans outlined “defending second amendment rights” as one of their priorities for the 2017-2018 session. Senate Republicans, too have introduced a number of related bills, and more could crop up from either side in the future.
But for now, here's what's pending:
Permitless concealed carry
Legislation pending in the Senate Government Operations Committee would let Michigan gun owners carry concealed weapons without needing a concealed weapon permit.
Letting 18 to 20-year-olds concealed carry
The current age for getting a Concealed Pistol License is 21, but senate bill 366, passed by the Michigan Senate on Wednesday, would allow Michigan 18 to 20-year-olds to obtain a provisional license to carry a concealed weapon.
Letting foster parents own guns
A recent lawsuit has drawn attention to the intersection of foster parents and gun rights.
Potential foster parents argue in a lawsuit their gun rights are being infringed upon by the state, which allows foster parents to own guns but requires they be stored securely and out of reach for children. That includes keeping them in a locked place, locking up ammunition separately, locking the trigger and registering the handgun.
Allowing concealed carry in schools & other places
Senate Bills 584-586, passed by the full Senate on Wednesday along partisan lines, allow people with extra training to concealed carry in places like schools, day care centers, stadiums and bars.
Those areas are traditionally considered gun-free zones, but a loophole in the law allows open carry there. These bills swap that -- open carry would be banned in those areas, but people could get eight extra hours of training and be allowed to concealed carry there.
Eliminating pistol registration
Rep. Lee Chatfield’s house bill 4554 would eliminate the requirement that Michiganders register their pistols.
Michigan is one of only six states to require registration, Chatfield said earlier this year.
Banning local gun laws
Any local government that passed a local gun control ordinance would have 60 days to bring it into compliance with state law under Rep. Gary Howell's, R-North Branch, House bill 4616. If it didn't happen a resident could either bring a legal action in circuit court or file a complaint with the Attorney General.
Courts could level fines of up to $7,500 for local officials who knowingly and willfully enacted or enforced the ordinance.
Letting people with personal protection orders carry in more places
House Bill 4268, sponsored by Rep. Tim Kelly, R-Saginaw, allows certain individuals with a personal protection order to concealed carry in some zones where it's normally not allowed.
