New legislation could make Michigan the 30th constitutional carry state

LANSING, Mich. -- Legislation introduced in the Mitten State earlier this month would change concealed carry laws for legal gun owners.

If adopted, Michigan, a now open carry state, would become the 30th constitutional carry state.

Right now, Michigan law says legal gun owners must apply for and obtain a concealed pistol license (CPL) before carrying a handgun that remains hidden in public. 

Under this new legislation, the state would essentially eliminate that permit requirement and recognize constitutional carry like Indiana and 28 other states, which do not require a license to legally carry a hidden pistol. 

"Allowing for self-defense is, I think, the main route of the legislation, which I support whole-heartedly," says Republican State Rep. Brad Paquette of Niles.

State Representative Brad Paquette has his name alongside several lawmakers on Michigan House Bill 5653. 

He says he supports eliminating the CPL requirement in order to carry a hidden pistol.   

"It's a burdensome process to be able to defend yourself and conceal in this state," says Rep. Paquette.

The process to obtain a CPL includes an application, fees, and the completion of pistol safety classes: an often-lengthy process. 

But as Paquette learned recently after a scary incident with his wife, a potential threat has no timeline and doesn't wait for police to show up. 

"She doesn't have her CPL yet, she has a lot of training, she's been pregnant and hasn't been able to go through the training, but my children and her were walking and she had to duck into an antique store because a guy put on a mask and started following her," Paquette shares. "It's something that I think more people should be able to have access to be able to defend themselves." 

However, some Michigan gun safety advocates say they believe that training should still be required for concealed carry, especially for potential use in public where bystanders could be at risk. 

"The more that you're in public places, the more that things get complicated, and it really doesn't create as much safety as people would hope that that would create," explains Christin Perry-Michalik, Giffords Gun Owners for Safety Senior Ambassador. "People want to believe that I can carry this gun and I can really create safety in these public places and scenarios, and occasionally that does happen, but the broad majority that would not be the case." 

She feels the requirement of a permit and training keeps crime rates low, pointing to other states that have done the same. 

"Having those laws in place really does keep communities safer; those crime rates go down, things like that, and we want to maintain that here in Michigan instead of taking those safety precautions away," says Perry-Michalik.

For Paquette though, it's a simple concept that involves making quick self-defense easier.

"Criminals are much more less likely to attack someone when they know they might be armed," says Paquette.

Rep. Paquette says this legislation would not interact with designated gun free zones, places like schools, bars, churches, and arenas with a large capacity. 

House Bill 5653 would still need to pass through multiple votes to even make it to Governor Gretchen Whitmer's desk for her to either sign into law or veto.