Lawmakers in Lansing are working on expanding the state’s gun laws. A controversial set of bills was approved by the House Wednesday.
The bills would get rid of the permit requirement to carry a concealed firearm.
Advocates say there’s no permit required to openly carry a firearm. They call the concealed weapon permit requirement a “coat tax”. Because once you put your coat on, you need to purchase a permit.
Representative Michele Hoitenga is a bill sponsor.
“Permit-less open carry is already lay of the land. Simply putting on a jacket should not unwittingly make you a felon.”
Advocates of the bill say it does very little, since you already don’t need a permit to open carry.
Dean Greenblatt is an attorney for Michigan Open Carry.
“All these bills really do is eliminate a five-year felony from those people who are already carrying their firearm lawfully and put on a coat.”
Democratic Representative Jewell Jones says opening up gun laws is especially harmful to people of color. He says, people should have the right to live without fear of gun violence.
“As a young Black man who has to read articles in the newspaper and have to see clips on social media and hear interviews on the radio about senseless gun deaths that happen in neighborhoods like mine and yours, near and far across our state. My question is why does one right take priority over another?”
The bills are now on their way to the Senate.