Michigan: Governor Snyder Signs CPL Reform Bills

Today, Governor Rick Snyder (R) signed into law Senate Bill 34 and Senate Bill 35, both sponsored by state Senator Mike Green (R-31).  These bills seek to create a more efficient, expedient and uniform concealed pistol licensing process for all statutorily eligible Michiganders.  Both SB 34 and SB 35 passed in the Michigan House of Representatives last week by an overwhelming, bipartisan 76 to 34 and 81 to 29 vote, after passing in the Senate on February 3 by a 28 to 9 vote.  SB 34 and SB 35 will take effect on December 1, 2015.

SB 34 and SB 35 are replicas of last session’s Senate Bill 789 and Senate Bill 790. SB 34 and SB 35 will:

• Eliminate the county concealed weapons licensing boards and the discretionary authority currently held by those boards, thereby also eliminating licensing delays, arbitrary denials and requests to appear before the licensing boards.  No longer will a law-abiding citizen be called before a board and asked the basis for wishing to exercise a constitutional right.

• Create an immediate remediation protocol for redressing licensing delays.  The maximum allowable time period for the processing of a license application is 45 days.  If notification of approval or denial is not issued within that period, your receipt becomes your license.

• Create an expedited, temporary emergency licensing process for victims of domestic violence and others who show an immediate and reasonable apprehension of death or serious bodily harm.

• Guarantee an online CPL renewal process by 2018, thereby relieving CPL holders from undertaking the onerous chore of conforming their daily schedules to meet government office hours.

• Immediately allow active-duty military personnel who reside in Michigan but are on duty orders outside of the state or the country to renew their CPL via mail.

• Require the Michigan State Police to publish an annual accounting of revenues and costs associated with administering the CPL process.  This ensures MSP accountability to the citizens with the long-term goal of decreasing the fees to reflect the actual cost of administering the license.

Thank you to the bill sponsor, Senator Green, as well as all state legislators who voted for SB 34 and SB 35.  Please contact your state legislators and thank them for supporting this important CPL reform legislation.  This success would not have been possible without your phone calls and emails throughout this legislative session!