Concealed Carry Law Passed Senate Panel

On Tuesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee reported a bill to end open carry and allow concealed carry firearms in gun-free zones such as schools, churches, and hospitals. The Committee reported on SB 442, but two bills were introduced. Senator Mike Green (R-Mayville) introduced SB 442 and Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof (R-West Olive) introduced SB 561. SB 561 was introduced Tuesday and has been sent to committee. An amendment has been adopted to tie-bar these bills together. SB 442 creates the conceal carry change in the state’s handgun licensure law and SB 561 makes this change in the penal code.

If passed, this legislation will remove the gun-free zones established in the 2000 overhaul of the concealed pistol license law, signed by former Governor John Engler. As it is currently written, an individual cannot possess a firearm while in a church or other house of religious worship, a court, bar, financial institution, sports arena or stadium, day care center, theatre, hospital or schools.

The committee voted 4-1 on the bill with Senator Steve Bieda (D-Warren) opposing the measure. The committee allowed for approximately an hour of testimony during which several critics spoke. The superintendent of Ann Arbor Public schools and Don Wotruba, the executive director of the Michigan Association of School Boards, both spoke in opposition. Mr. Wotruba fears for the safety of students, but also is concerned about potential police action. Mr. Wotruba argued that allowing concealed carry in schools could make police response in mass shooting situations more difficult by not knowing who is or is not carrying a firearm, thus delaying the response.

Senator Green responded to critics maintaining that testimonies didn’t address the bill itself, just merely the gun issue. The Senator believes the remarks were focusing on people not wanting guns in the schools, not we have guns in the schools, let’s change the law.

Senator Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge) moved the bill to a vote because of time constraints on some legislators. Several parties did not get a chance to testify.

Senator Meekhof is supportive of the legislation but is unsure of the Governor’s position. Governor Rick Snyder has previously been opposed to ending gun-free zones.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, October 16, 2015 10:29 AM
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