MICHIGAN COALITION FOR

RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERS

"Promoting safe use and ownership of firearms

through education, litigation, and legislation."

MONDAY E'NEWS

November Legislative Update

House Bill 4066: would create a knife preemption act similar to the state preemption law that already exists for firearms. That is, there would be one set of regulations state-wide for carrying a knife for self-defense instead of differing local ordinances. While not a gun bill, it is of interest for many of our members who also carry knives. MCRGO supports the bill.

On October 19, 2021 the bill passed the Senate on a vote of 25-11. This past week on October 26, the House concurred in the Senate version of the bill on a vote of 66-38. Now we wait to see what Governor Whitmer does with the bill. There is speculation that she will allow the bill to become law without formally signing it. That would happen on November 11, 14 days after the bill was presented to her, unless she signs or vetos it first.

House Bills 5187 & 5188: Michigan was one of just seven states in the country to refuse to designate the firearms industry as essential during the COVID-19 related Stay Home orders of 2020. Two bills, House Bill 5187 and House Bill 5188, were introduced in Michigan House of Representatives just before the legislature started its summer break. These bills would ensure this situation is not repeated. House Bills 5187 & 5188 would amend the Emergency Management Act and Public Health Code to disallow future emergency orders that would “prohibit, suspend, or limit” the firearms industry and Second Amendment rights of Michigan residents. More specifically, they would protect the “otherwise lawful possession, carrying, display, sale, transportation, transfer, defensive use, or other lawful use” of firearms and ammunition, along with their components and accessories during a declared emergency. They would also prohibit the registration or seizure of those items.

MCRGO would like to thank Representative Steve Johnson and the House Oversight Committee for holding hearings on these bills this past Thursday along with MCRGO Instructor Marcy Jankovich of the DC Project, Tom Lambert of Michigan Open Carry, Inc., Scott Jones of NRA-ILA, and the many firearms business owners who showed up to testify in support of the bills. While we recognize it is unlikely that Governor Whitmer will sign these two bills into law, Rep. Johnson has done an excellent job as Chair of the House Oversight Committee this year in bringing attention to issues like this which are often overlooked by the media.

The current status of all firearms related legislation, MCRGO's positions on those bills, and links to the text and analyses can be found HERE.

MCRGO Executive Director Brady Schickinger testifies in favor of House Bills 5187 & 5188, explaining the impact the emergency COVID orders had on non-traditional gun owners during the spring of 2020.