About 2 weeks ago PPGV was part of an effort to defeat Senate Bill 789 that would allow some persons with protective orders against them to obtain a concealed gun permit. Governor Snyder vetoed that bill and made the New York Times and other news while doing it!
Now we are facing a new bill- SB 34. This bill lacks the domestic violence abuser problem, but still poses a public danger according to Daniel Webster MD, a national expert from Johns Hopkins.
The bill’s sponsors say it streamlines the process to a concealed carry permit. To more critical eyes it omits the county gun board made up of sheriff, prosecutor, and others. Instead of the sheriff doing a background check that would be done by the state police. Local eyes would be removed and the process slightly shortened and made less in cost $90 down from $110. But the state police have said it would take about 50 of their partrol officers and $8 million. They originally opposed it.
Michigan has 450,000 CPLs now! And most recently 87, 000 applications a year of which 3-4% were denies and about 250 were denied by local boards. But, these were important denials according to Dr. Webster.
“The best research on the topic of shall issue vs. discretionary concealed carry laws shows evidence that no discretion shall issue laws lead to more gun violence. There is also research showing that many individuals who are not prohibited from possessing guns to keep in their home – legal gun owners – are not so law abiding and most objective people and public safety officials would look at their backgrounds and conclude that it’s too risky for the person to be allowed to carry a concealed loaded firearm outside of their homes. Promoters of nondiscretionary concealed gun policies or no restrictions on concealed carry try to perpetuate a myth that all legal gun owners are God-fearing, rock-solid individuals who are poised to be heroes to take down the next person who attempts a mass shooting or predatory criminals lurking among us. I can try to counter that myth with some facts.
But what would be most effective is for someone on the local boards to give examples of people who they denied a carry permit – prior arrests, drunk driving violations, restraining orders, calls to police at their residences.”
Dr. Webster will voice his concern, but may well not be asked. This week has been a busy one this fast tracking senate action. Moms Demand Action is concerned as are we at PPGV. We will likely write a letter to be read on the Senate floor prior to the vote. It looks like that may not succeed, but clearly this bill creates problems and I think should voice our concern.
PPGVPhysicians for the Prevention of Gun Violence