A controversial gun bill similar to one that was recently vetoed by Governor Rick Snyder is likely to get a committee hearing this week.
The bill’s sponsor says the reintroduced legislation no longer contains language the governor and others worried could have put domestic abuse victims in danger. Opponents said it would have allowed people with personal protection orders (PPOs) against them to get concealed pistol licenses.
“We took out the language referencing the PPO references,” said state Sen. Mike Green, R-Mayville. “And, basically, the whole bill is identical to the one he vetoed except for the PPO issue.”
Green claims the controversial language in the bill was widely misinterpreted by opponents and the press. He says it would have had the opposite effect.
“The confusion that arose was the clarification looked like – from people that don’t understand how bills are drafted and laws are passed – it looked like we were creating a problem, which in fact we were fixing a problem,” he said. “Sometimes people like to use little tiny things within the bill to kill the whole bill, and I think that’s what was happening.”
The legislation would abolish county gun boards, which currently approve concealed pistol licenses. Those duties would be transferred to county clerks - with the Michigan State Police conducting background checks - as a way to streamline the process. Green introduced the new version of the legislation last week. He says it will likely be referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and the panel will take the bill up for a hearing that afternoon.
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive, says it’s expected to be one of the first pieces of legislation the Senate approves during its new session.
