Michigan will get rid of county gun boards that review applications for concealed pistol licenses (CPLs). Gov. Rick Snyder signed legislation on Wednesday that will require county clerks to issue CPLs to any qualified applicant who passes a State Police background check.
“People are not going to get CPLs that don’t deserve them or don’t have clean records, that are good, honest, law-abiding citizens,”
said state Sen. Mike Green (R-Mayville), who sponsored the bills.
“I believe (the process) will keep on working, but better.”
The new law is similar to legislation that Snyder vetoed earlier this year, but it no longer contains language he said could put domestic abuse victims in danger. That language, he said, would allow people with personal protection orders against them to obtain a CPL.
Some Democrats still oppose the measure because it takes away local control. They say local law enforcement officials on gun boards know when certain individuals in their community are not fit to have a concealed weapon, even if those individuals do not have a criminal history.
Green says gun boards have discriminated against applicants in the past.
