Michigan House Republicans introduced legislation that would allow "law-abiding" citizens to carry concealed pistols without a government-issued permit.

A critic calls the proposed change "poor legislation," while sponsors say it would allow more freedom for responsible citizens wanting to carry a concealed weapon for self-defense.

Michigan Reps. Tom Barrett, R-Potterville; Lee Chatfield, R-Levering; Triston Cole, R-Mancelona; and Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, introduced House Bills 5301-5304 on Tuesday, Feb. 2.

Cole, author of House Bill 5304, said the current Concealed Pistol License permit requirement in Michigan is a "government over-reach" that places an undue burden on residents who want to defend themselves against criminals.

"Criminals don't have to go through a training class and wait for government permission to have a handgun before they commit armed robbery, yet a law-abiding citizen who simply wants the option of self-defense has to jump through all the hoops and pay a price to carry a concealed weapon," he said in a prepared statement.

"People who want to ensure the safety of their families against the criminal element should not have to beg for that right," Cole said.

Linda Brundage, executive director of the Michigan Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, said about the proposed legislation, "it's more of the guns everywhere, anytime by anyone."

If the bill becomes law, she said, the public won't know which people carrying concealed guns passed a background check that was required in the past for a CPL application.

"I do not think that the people in Michigan want what would amount to ultimately vigilante justice," she said.

Runestad, sponsor of House Bill 5303, called the vigilante justice comment "ridiculous."

Gun owners still have to pass a background check while buying a gun, he said by phone on Feb. 4.

Under current law, Runestad said a person without a CPL could be legally carrying a gun openly on his or her hip, but simply putting on a coat and concealing the pistol would be a violation.

"People are concerned about their right to bear arms," he said.

Current requirements for lawful Michigan CPL applicants are unnecessary, he said.

"We are required to take a driver's test occasionally to get or maintain our driver's licenses, but tens of thousands of people are killed in traffic accidents every year, regardless of having passed a state-sanctioned training course and paying to obtain a license," Runestad said.

"Bureaucracy and fees do not make people better drivers," he said. "Requiring a special permit to carry a concealed weapon just forces inefficient spending and inconveniences responsible gun owners."

People who are currently not legally allowed to carry a firearm will not legally be able to carry a concealed weapon, and penalties for unlawful possession will remain in place, according to bill sponsors.

Barrett, sponsor of House Bill 5302, said people who choose to legally carry concealed weapons should not have to seek "governmental acquiescence" to do so.

"These bills simply place into law the Second Amendment rights of Michigan residents to bear arms without asking the government's permission," Barrett said. "The current concealed weapons permit amounts to nothing more than a state tax on a freedom guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution."

Rep. Chatfield, who introduced House Bill 5301, said the legislation does not stop the state from issuing concealed weapons permits.

He calls the bill "common sense" to give lawful gun owners another option for self-defense.

Citizens could still take the necessary training and obtain a permit if they desire one, Chatfield said, "perhaps because it is necessary to carry a concealed pistol in another state."

"A license to carry just would not be required in Michigan," he said.

The proposed legislation comes two months after a change to Michigan law on Dec. 1, 2015, that eliminated county gun boards.