MI: Governor Snyder Signs Michigan Gun Reform of CPL Process

Governor Rick Snyder has signed the concealed carry reform bills into law.
Governor Snyder, who vetoed virtually the same bills only six weeks ago, signed them just hours ago.  Senate Bills 34 and 35 are now Public acts 3 and 4 of 2015.    The bills had passed with strong, veto proof majorities in both the House and Senate.

County gun boards are eliminated by the bills, with a number of other reasonable reforms.   The gun boards were put in place in 1927.   In 1925, a black man, Dr. Ossian Sweet, had used a handgun to defend his family from a mob  attack.  Some have claimed that the Michigan legislature, lobbied by the KKK, passed the handgun permit law  to keep black people disarmed.

In 1931 Michigan became the first state to ban short barreled rifles and shotguns, a ban that was copied from Michigan law into the infamous National Firearms Act of 1934.  Michigan's ban on short barreled rifles and shotguns was eliminated last year, but now relies on the old federal law for licensing and taxes on short barreled guns.  Just as with the gun boards, it was hard to find any serious reason for the existence of the law, now that the second amendment has been incorporated to the states.   From mlive.com:

Senate Bills 34 and 35, now Public Acts 3 and 4 of 2015, call for the elimination of county gun boards by December. Duties will be transferred to county clerks and the Michigan State Police.

"These bills streamline how we issue concealed pistol licenses, creating a uniform system that will better support the rights of firearm owners in Michigan," Snyder said in a statement

 Other reforms in the new law are:

• No charge for second set of fingerprints if required by the state.
• If no permit or disqualification in 45 days, receipt acts as permit.
• Plastic, not paper used for the permit material
• Notification of expiration 3-6 months before expiration  
• Allow online application of renewal
• Active duty military and reserves to be able to apply for renewal by mail if on duty outside the state.
• Expiration date of permit extended if renewal made in time.
• Range time for renewal requirement met with certification on renewal form that applicants have complied with 3 hours review of training, 1 hour range time, within 6 months of renewal.
• Record keeping by the State patrol of offenses committed by license holders.

The last is of interest to researchers, as it insures more complete coverage of information, all put in an easily read format.   Legal gun owners in Michigan have been an extremely well behaved group.  As in the other states, they commit crimes less often than police do.  I predict that this reform on data collection will make that fact even clearer in the next few years.  It would be worth while if a similar process were put in place for police officers.

 While second amendment supporters are happy that Governor Snyder signed the reform bills into law, it took them three tries, and overwhelming, veto proof majorities in the legislature to bring him to the table.

It is clear that this is an educational process.  As more and more people obtain concealed carry permits, more people become educated about the facts concerning guns, crime, and self defense.   As more become educated, resistance to second amendment reforms fade away. 

©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.  Link to Gun Watch