Gun bills cropping up in Lansing

Bills aiming to change Michigan gun laws have ramped up over the past few months in Lansing, with some earning contentious hearings and others waiting in the wings.

The greatest number of gun proposals have come from House Republicans. The caucus outlined “defending second amendment rights” as one of its priorities for the 2017-2018 session.

"I always go back to Article 1, Section 6 of the state constitution. And there is no doubt that Michigan citizens have a right, constitutionally, to keep and bear arms for the protection of themselves and others," said House Speaker Tom Leonard, R-Dewitt.

"So certainly anything that we can do to enhance or protect those rights, I'm committed to doing."

(File photo: Sean Proctor | MLive.com)

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Letting 18 to 20-year-olds concealed carry

The current age for getting a Concealed Pistol License is 21, but senate bill 366 would allow Michigan 18 to 20-year-olds to obtain a provisional license to carry a concealed weapon.

Bill sponsor Sen. Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, said 18 to 20-year-olds already handle guns in military and police training, and this would allow them to concealed carry.

"This is a responsible bill that will require 18- to 20-year-olds to abide by the current training and background requirements for obtaining a Concealed Pistol License,” Schmidt said.

“It will make sure younger people are ready to conceal carry, as they are currently allowed by law to possess and open carry a fire arm.”

The bill is opposed by the groups Physicians Preventing Gun Violence and Moms demand action.

Jerry Walden with Physicians Preventing gun violence said the idea of letting younger adults concealed crazy was "craziness."

"Their brains are developing, and adolescents don’t really fully develop their brains until age 24 or 25," he said.

The bill was approved 4-1 by the Senate Judiciary Committee with lone Democrat Steve Bieda, D-Warren, opposing. It is now pending before the full Senate.

(Photo: Amanda Emery | MLive.com)

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Eliminating concealed carry permits

Legislation pending in the House Judiciary Committee would let Michigan gun owners carry concealed weapons without needing a concealed weapon permit.

The bills are sponsored by Republican Reps. Michele Hoitenga, R-Manton; Pamela Hornberger, R-Chesterfield Twp.; Sue Allor, R-Wolverine; and Triston Cole, R-Mancelona.

"It is currently legal in the state of Michigan for a law-abiding person to openly carry a firearm on their person without any training classes, fees or state bureaucracy," said Hoitenga. "It only becomes illegal when a person puts on a coat, because the gun then becomes concealed. One millimeter of clothing makes the difference between a criminal act and a legal act."

Opponents have criticized the bills, questioning whether they would allow people barred from getting a concealed carry license to carry concealed weapons anyway.

The bills are still pending in the House Judiciary Committee.

Read more about the package here.

Rep. Pete Lucido, R-Shelby Twp., also has a bill in that would eliminate concealed pistol licensing requirements for people over 21 who were not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm.

(Photo: Rex Larsen | The Grand Rapids Press )

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Axing pistol registration requirement

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.

“Criminals don't register handguns they misuse for wrong, so what we end up with is a list that intrudes on the civil liberties of honest gun owners exercising their constitutional right to defend their families," Chatfield said.

The bill is pending in the House Judiciary Committee.

Read more about the bill here.

(Photo of sponsoring reps turning in bill courtesy of Michigan House Republicans.)

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Banning carrying in police stations

Rep. Abdullah Hammoud, D-Dearborn, introduced a bill to limit the carrying of weapons in police stations after two men, one masked, walked into a Dearborn police station with guns.

He said that fortunately the police were able to deescalate that situation, but his bill would prevent it in the future. Under his House bill 4560, a person couldn't carry a gun into a police station that posted a sign banning firearms, unless they were there to relinquish it.

"For me this is an issue, it’s a public safety bill," Hammoud said.

The bill is pending in the House Judiciary Committee.

(Photo: Mark Bugnaski | MLive.com)

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Expanding places you can carry

Sen. Gary Glenn, R-Midland, is the sponsor of House bill 4565. It would eliminate current prohibitions on carrying firearms into financial institutions, churches, theaters, sports arenas, day care centers and hospitals.

He's also supporting the bill package that would eliminate the need for a concealed pistol license.

"I believe the more law-abiding American citizens who are armed and able to defend themselves, their families, their property and their businesses the better," Glenn said.

His bill 4565 is pending in the House Judiciary Committee.

(Photo: Jeff Schrier | MLive.com)

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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.

It's currently pending in the House Local Government Committee.

(Photo: Jeff Schrier | MLive.com)

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Penalties for making guns accessible to minors

Sen. Rebekah Warren, D-Ann Arbor, is the sponsor of a bill that would establish penalties for storing or leaving a firearm where it is accessible to a minor.

To make it inaccessible under Senate bill 293, an owner would have to keep it in a locked container, keep it in a location that a reasonable person would believe was secure or lock the firearm.

Not doing so could be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on how the minor displayed or used the gun.

(Photo: Chuck Parker | MLive.com)

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Handgun licensing changes

Senate Bill 219, sponsored by Sen. Mike Green, tweaks the licensing procedure, including by letting county clerks provide certain forms electronically, specifying that the application fee is nonrefundable, including a peace officer with a CPL in a list of people who are exempt from certain no-carry zones and specify that an emergency license would no longer be valid if the holder did not complete training and apply for a CPL within 10 days.

It also repeals two parts of the penal code: one which makes it a misdemeanor for a gun seller not to keep a record or purchasers open to police inspection and another which prohibits a person from buying a motor vehicle designed for defense or attacks without first obtaining a license.

The bill passed the Senate and is pending in the House Judiciary Committee.

(Photo: Yfat Yossifor | MLive.com)

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More carry zones for people with personal protection orders

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.

The bill is pending in the House Judiciary Committee.

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Armed guards at military facilities

House Bill 4413, introduced by Rep. Pamela Hornberger, R-Chesterfield Twp., would require military facilities like armories in Michigan to have one member of the active service armed at the location "for the purpose of protecting himself or herself and others."

The bill is pending in the House Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs.

(Photo: Chelsea Purgahn/Kalamazoo Gazette)