Over the next couple of months, the Michigan Legislature will be taking an extended recess to allow state legislators to return to their respective districts and focus on constituent issues. As a result, during the limited legislative session days left before the lame-duck session begins in November, it is important that the state legislature focus on priority legislation. The NRA views the legislation below as top priorities for 2014 and encourages our members to contact their state legislators to express their support.
Senate Bill 977, introduced by state Senator John Moolenaar (R-36), seeks to provide active duty military personnel who are on duty orders outside of the state with the option to renew their Concealed Pistol License (CPL) through the mail. Under current Michigan law, individuals who are seeking to renew their CPL are required to submit the renewal application in person. As a result, many resident active duty military CPL holders who are stationed outside of Michigan are effectively prohibited from renewing their license in a manner that allows them to maintain continuity of their concealed carry benefits.
SB 977 also standardizes the delivery method by which county clerks distribute renewal CPLs. Under SB 977, the county clerks will be required to distribute approved renewal licenses through first-class mail. As a result, active duty military personnel will also have the option to have their renewal CPL sent directly to their duty station. This is especially important for those individuals who are stationed in one of the forty states that have entered into a reciprocal agreement to recognize Michigan’s CPL; as it will allow them to lawfully exercise their Second Amendment rights when traveling off-base.
It is important that you contact your state Senator and express your support for SB 977.
Senate Bills 963, 964, 965 & 966
Collectively, the Air Gun Reclassification Package represents a package of bills that seek to redefine the term “firearm” in the Michigan Code to exclude devices that propel a projectile by gas, spring or air. Michigan law imposes an unduly burdensome restraint on the transfer, purchase and possession of most air guns. Under current law, a vast majority of air guns—including all pellet guns and air-soft guns—qualify as firearms. As a result, the same restrictions that apply to the transfer, purchase and possession of firearms also apply to air guns; including licensing and registration. Michigan is one of only four states that classify most air guns as firearms.
This package of legislation, which also includes Senate Bill 979, would align Michigan’s definition of “firearm” with the federal definition; such that “firearm” would be redefined to mean “any weapon which will, is designed to, or may be readily converted to expel a projectile by action of an explosive.” SB 979 would then create a new definition for air guns. Grouping air guns under the broader term “pneumatic guns,” to account for certain devices that propel projectiles by action of a spring, SB 979 would allow for local units of government to reasonably regulate the use and possession of “pneumatic guns;” with the exception that these devices cannot be regulated on private property where authorization is given and the possessor takes precautionary measures to ensure that the projectile remains within the bounds of the property.
It is important that you contact your state Senator and express your support for SB 979, which is awaiting a vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Respectfully tell your state Senator that you support the Air Gun Reclassification Package and reasonable local control of air guns. Contact information for members of the Michigan Senate can be found here.
More Like This From Around The NRA
