Tagged: concealed weapons

A Republican legislator says he will introduce a bill soon that would let school boards decide whether to let teachers and parents  bring concealed guns into school buildings.

State Senator Mike Green (R-Mayville) says it's his new alternative to a measure vetoed by Governor Rick Snyder last year.

That bill would have ended schools' status as gun-free zones under Michigan's concealed weapons law. Green says this would give the option to school boards.

"There's a lot of school teachers that are very well trained that would love to be able to do that. That's coming in a bill I haven't introduced yet, but we've got it on a fast track," said Green.

Green says his legislation could be introduced as soon as this week. There is some question right now whether people with concealed pistol permits may openly carry firearms in Michigan schools.

Governor Snyder says he might be open to the idea, but new gun laws rank low on his list of priorities.

Every Thursday we take a look at Michigan politics with Ken Sikkema, former senate majority leader and senior policy fellow at Public Sector Consultants, and Susan Demas political analyst for Michigan Information and Research Service. As a wrap up to the year they talk about the most important legislation that passed this year. Plus, they discuss Governor Snyder’s veto of legislation that would have allowed concealed pistols in school, day cares, and places of worship.

Last week’s school shooting in Connecticut is inspiring the city of Lansing to hold a second gun buy-back program.

The capitol city’s last gun buy-back program collected nearly a hundred firearms in August.  People who turned in hand guns or semi-automatic weapons got gift cards in exchange.

The city hopes to collect ten thousand dollars in private donations for its next program.

Lansing mayor Virg Bernero says the initiative will get guns off the street and help keep the community safe.

Lansing has seen a dozen homicides this year.

Update 4:00 p.m.

Governor Rick Snyder has vetoed a bill that would have allowed people with concealed pistol permits to carry their guns into schools.

Clergy from across the state are expected to rally in Lansing today, and to call on Gov. Snyder to veto legislation that could allow concealed weapons in schools and churches.

On Stateside yesterday, MPRN's Rick Pluta said Snyder is getting an earful from those opposed to the legislation. The Governor says he's looking carefully at the legislation.

Elisha Anderson and Paul Egan of the Detroit Free Press report the bill is unclear on how schools and other public facilities could keep people from carrying concealed weapons if they wanted to, and that's what is giving the Gov. pause.