On November 14th, the Michigan Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety passed SB 857 and SB 858 making the bills eligible for votes on the Senate floor. The pair of measures would expand “gun-free zones” in Michigan, prohibiting gun owners from carrying firearms in the State Capitol Building, the Binsfeld Senate Office Building and the Anderson House Office Building, with an exception, of course, for legislators, because “rules for thee, not for me,” and all that second-class citizen stuff. 

SB 858 originally banned carrying a firearm in any location with a liquor license, including businesses that serve and sell liquor. This broad expansion would have prohibited carrying in commonly frequented establishments including gas stations, pharmacies, hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, big box retailers and many others, drastically limiting where concealed carry license holders could legally exercise their right and almost eliminating a person’s ability to carry for self-defense. Thankfully, this part of the measure was amended and not included in the bill as it heads toward a Senate vote, however, it may be a little too late as it has become abundantly clear that these expansions have nothing to do with public safety and everything to do with eroding the rights of law-abiding Michigan taxpayers. 

In recent years the Capitol Commission banned both open and concealed carry in the Capitol with Democrat leadership restricting citizens, but not themselves, from carrying in legislative office buildings. SB 857 and SB 858 would expand and codify these restrictions, turning them into state law and making it almost impossible for citizens to restore their rights in the future. 

The NRA-ILA included this link for residents of Michigan to convey their opposition to SB 857 and SB 858 to their Senate representatives.

One day prior, the Michigan House of Representatives passed HB 4127 and HB 4128 along party lines, sending both to the Governor’s desk for consideration. These bills expand “gun-free” zones to include polling places and associated areas, “creating an arbitrary patchwork of so-called ‘gun-free’ zones,” according to the NRA-ILA. The issue with this, and make no mistake that it is intended by design, is that law-abiding gun owners could be subject to criminal penalties for crossing these arbitrary lines without any intent to commit a crime or disrupt the voting process.

As if Governor Gretchen Whitmer wasn’t already a bought and paid-for gun control Democrat hell-bent on the dismantling of the Constitution, the NRA-ILA has included a link for Michigan residents to let her know they oppose HB 4127 and HB 4128.

While the country remains divided, we have seen a considerable shift with the recent election outcome. One can only hope that the next four years, which will pass in the blink of an eye, will be spent aggressively, not just repairing the damage that has been caused, but taking apart the network of corruption and lawlessness that has been allowed to fester, and which continues to see states violate the individual liberties of their citizens as if we aren’t all Americans.