TRAVERSE CITY -- A bill that would make sweeping changes to the Michigan concealed handgun law is expected to be taken up by the state Senate. The legislation includes a score of changes, including allowing concealed handguns in "pistol-free zones" -- places like schools, churches, sports stadiums and even day care centers.
Among the sweeping changes in this proposal:
Permit holders, who receive an extra 9 hours of training and 162 more rounds fired at the range could then be allowed carry concealed pistols in places like churches, schools, sports stadiums, bars and even day care centers.
But not everyone agrees with this new idea, like Superintendent of Traverse City Schools Steve Cousins. Cousins says this would just increase the opportunity for a shooting accident to happen and if anything -- it puts his students in even more danger.
"Given that schools are really safe places, even in communities with high crime rates, schools are the safest place you could be -- introducing concealed weapons into a school just seems to be a recipe for a really tragic accident to happen," says TCAPS Superintendent Steve Cousins.
But allowing concealed guns in pistol free zones isn't all this legislation does, it also looks to shift permit approvals to county sheriffs from gun-boards. The proposal also aims to cut licensing delays, remove financial obstacles to appealing denials, and make it easier to renew.
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