A group of Republican House members in Michigan is pushing to make it the 30th constitutional carry state in the Union.
WWMT reported that the push, if successful, would end the current requirement that law-abiding citizens apply for and receive concealed carry permits from their state government before being able to carry a handgun concealed on their persons for self-defense. GOP success on this front would also save would-be concealed carriers from paying $100 for the permits issued by government.
Pushback is already coming from gun control groups who suggest liberating Michigan residents from the concealed carry permit application process would exclude them from the required gun safety courses now tied to said process.
But constitutional carry bill sponsor state Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R), said, “For the government of the state of Michigan to tell that — that we have to be qualified under the guise of their rules in order to protect ourselves — is a far cry from what the constitution provides for us.”
State Rep. Jim DeSana (R), another sponsor of the constitutional carry legislation, noted, “When we exercise other first amendment rights like our right to speak, we do not have to get a permit or permission from the government to speak. When we exercise our right to worship, we do not have to go get a permit or permission to go worship.”
Ammoland News pointed out:
As in other states where Constitutional Carry laws have already been passed, Michigan would still retain its CPL structure to provide the means for Michigan residents to carry in other states with reciprocity agreements. Currently, more than 845,000 Michiganders are licensed to carry, according to the Michigan State Police.
On March 6, 2024, Breitbart News reported that the South Carolina legislature passed constitutional carry legislation, which Gov. Henry McMaster (R) signed int0 law on March 7, 2024, and the Palmetto State became the 29th constitutional carry state in the Union.
The other 28 constitutional carry states are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio and the director of global marketing for Lone Star Hunts. He holds a PhD in Military History with a focus on the Vietnam War (brown water navy), U.S. Navy since Inception, the Civil War, and Early Modern Europe. He enjoys reading Philosophy and novels by Jack Carr and Nelson DeMille. Follow him on X: @awrhawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.
