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Legislative Projects

Michigan Open Carry, Inc. has a team that works with partners in the State Legislature to press pro-gun and pro-OC legislation while opposing legislative threats to our liberties.  You can help our legislative team by signing up for our email list and contact your state representatives and state senator when you are asked to by our team.

Keep in mind: our ultimate goal is constitutional carry!  We believe people should be able to carry a handgun in Michigan (concealed or openly) without being required to get a license or register their gun.  We believe a license should be made available to people on an optional basis so they can carry in other states which require a person have a license in order to carry (reciprocity).

Team Members:
Tom Lambert (Director)
Jason Gillman (Assistant Director)
Jared Coyne
Phillip Hofmeister
David Dellinger

The team can be reached at lobbying@miopencarry.org

Repeal of "Criminal Empowerment" Zones AKA Pistol Free Zones (PFZs)

MOC believes PFZs are place where criminals carry guns because they do not care about the laws, but law abiding people are prevented from carrying in these places.  Michigan Open Carry, Inc. has worked on several bills to eliminate these PFZs.  All have been met with resistance.

SB 58 (Sponsor: Mike Green - Republican from Mayville) of 2011 was never heard nor voted on in committee.  This means it died very early in the legislative process, a move called pidgeonholing.  SB 58 would have repealed all PFZs listed in MCL 28.425o for licensed concealed carry.

Strengthen Preemption to Combat and Slow Blatant Violations

Michigan Open Carry, Inc. is seeking to add "teeth" to Michigan's preemption laws.  Despite the nationwide acceptance and understanding of such laws, there are still some officials and municipalities that do not understand the very nature of a criminal, and still believe new laws will curtail already criminalized activity. Unable to gain traction for their agendas at a higher level, these officials and municipalities at times, are so set in their ways that they will willfully disregaurd state law to enact or preserve their illegal ordinances or regulations.

HB 5500, sponsored by Representative Tom McMillin (Republican - Rochester Hills), addresses the issue and attempts to follow in the path of other states like Ohio and Florida. By focusing on the following three areas, it is our intent to finally reach the preemption the Michigan Legislature originally set out to achieve over 20 years ago. That is:

Concealed Pistol Free Zone Exemptions and Our Compromise

Lately, both State Senators and Representatives have been introducing legislation that would exempt, or 'carve out', specific classes of individuals from Michigan's concealed pistol free zones (cPFZs) as specified in MCL 28.425o. These exemptions essentially state that the lives of those belonging to these special classes are more important than those who don't - which is clearly wrong.

2017-2018 Session Bills

House Bills

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Kanban by Status

Senate Bills

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