The Michigan Legislature will leave Lansing at the end of this week for its summer in-district work period. Both chambers, especially the House, have been active over the past six months considering a number of self defense related bills. The bills that have been reported out of their committee of origin are included below.
To forestall inquiries about the likelihood of Governor Whitmer signing these bills, we recognize that it's a challenge. Whitmer has been more hostile to legal self defense than any previous governor in Michigan history. There are not enough votes to override a veto in either the Michigan House or the Michigan Senate. We thank pro-gun legislators who continue to work for reform in preparation for brighter future prospects.
Senate Bill 11: This bill would require concealed pistol licenses to be processed during a declared emergency. Senate Bill 11 is a top priority of MCRGO this session. It has made the most progress of any firearms bill this year gaining Senate approval by a 20-15 vote on March 4, 2021 and was later reported to the full House with recommendation by House committee.
House Bill 4030 & House Bill 4498: These bills passed the Michigan House on May 26, 2021 by votes of 66-43 and 67-42 respectively. The bills would reduce CPL fees to $60 for new CPLs and $45 for renewals saving Michigan CPL holders at least $11 million a year. Michigan has one of the highest CPL fees in the country. This makes it difficult for lower income individuals to afford a concealed pistol license creating economic discrimination to exercise self defense rights. The bills now await consideration in the Senate.
House Bill 4029: Long overdue in light of the People v. Yanna case from nearly a decade ago, this legislation would allow the possession and reasonable use of a stun gun by a person who is 18 years of age or older and allow the sale of a stun gun to a person authorized to possess it. Although the terms "stun gun" and "Taser" are often used interchangeably, they are different types of self-defense devices. A stun gun primarily utilizes pain to disable a target, requires physical contact (for some models, contact with skin), and may require up to three to five seconds of continuous contact in order to disrupt muscle control and disable a target. By contrast, a Taser temporarily incapacitates a target by disrupting the signals between the brain and muscles, shoots two prongs as projectiles, can be used at a distance of up to 15 feet for a civilian model (30 feet for law enforcement models), and releases tags that identify the unit. CPL holders may already carry single-shot Tasers in Michigan. House Bill 4029 passed the Michigan House on April 14, 2021 by a bipartisan vote of 78-32 and is awaiting Senate action.
House Bill 4066: Reintroduced after failing to pass last session, the Knife Preemption Act would prohibit local governments from enacting and/or enforcing ordinances regarding knives that are stricter than state law. This would apply the same preemption to bladed self-defense devices that already protect defensive firearms. The full House of Representatives approved the bill last Thursday on a vote of 69-41. It now goes to the Senate.
House Bill 4718: This bill would eliminate the requirement that one must file a CPL application in the county of residence. It would provide relief to residents of some counties such as Wayne who have faced extremely long waits for appointment. Under the bill, county clerks could refuse to accept an application from an out-of-county resident although that is unlikely as that county would receive the revenue from the application fee. The bill is awaiting consideration by the full House after being reported with recommendation from the House Military, Veterans, and Homeland Security Committee.
