State Senator Mike Green proposes bill to change concealed firearms licenses

A pistol in a case Wednesday, Feb. 26, at Duncan Outdoor Shop, 501 Salzburg Ave. in Bay City.

(Yfat Yossifor | The Bay City Times)

LANSING, MI -- Gov. Rick Snyder, who has twice vetoed similar proposals, on Wednesday signed into law revised legislation to modify the process for obtaining a concealed pistol license in Michigan.

Senate Bills 34 and 35, now Public Acts 3 and 4 of 2015, call for the elimination of county gun boards by December. Duties will be transferred to county clerks and the Michigan State Police.

"These bills streamline how we issue concealed pistol licenses, creating a uniform system that will better support the rights of firearm owners in Michigan," Snyder said in a statement.

"I appreciate that the Legislature revamped this legislation, removing any unintended consequences that could have put domestic abuse victims in danger."

The Republican governor had vetoed county gun board bills in January, citing concerns with a provision that would have removed a blanket CPL prohibition for individuals subject to a personal protection order.

He vetoed much broader legislation back in 2012 that would have also allowed permit holders with extra training to bring concealed weapons in carry-free zones like schools and bars.

The new bills, approved by the Republican-led Senate last month in the first voting of the new session and later approved by the House, do not contain either of the provisions that had led to those consecutive vetoes.

Supporters say scrapping gun boards will make Michigan a true "shall issue" state, requiring clerks to issue pistol permits based on statutory eligibility alone. The gun board process and timeline could vary by county.

"It was a long haul," said Sen. Mike Green, R-Mayville, who sponsored various iterations of the legislation.

"It's been four and a half years, and a lot of work has gone into it. I'm happy (the governor) decided to sign it. In a year, people will say, what was the gun board again? Why did we have those? I don't forsee any complications."

The new bills, revised as they were, still faced some pushback. Critics argued they will effectively eliminate the opportunity for discretion by local officials who may know information that does not pop up in a standard background check.



"We know from research that giving law enforcement discretion to determine who should legally be allowed to carry firearms is an important protection against high-risk individuals, such as those with recent violent histories, from bringing loaded guns into public places," Dr. Daniel Webster, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, said in a statement last month.

"Because our federal standards are so weak, it's critical that extra safeguards are in place to deny permits to applicants who pose a danger to society."

The new laws, once implemented, will require county clerks to issue permits to qualifying applicants within 45 days. If they do not issue or reject a permit by that deadline, an application receipt will qualify as a temporary permit. MSP will be tasked with running background checks and verifying other eligibility requirements.

Initial application fees for a five-year permit will be reduced from $105 to $100 under the laws, which dictate how funding will be distributed to counties and state police.

Renewal application fees will increase from $105 to $115, and MSP will be expected to develop an online renewal system by 2018.

Jonathan Oosting is a Capitol reporter for MLive Media Group. Email him, find him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.