press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

News from Progress Michigan

February 3, 2015

Contact: Sam Inglot, 616-916-0574sam@progressmichigan.org

NRA-Backed Gun Bill Passes Senate: Shows GOP Has Wrong Priorities

Despite massive budget shortfall, MI GOP tows the line for corporate gun lobby

LANSING — Today, the Michigan Senate approved a bill that would eliminate county gun boards that approve concealed pistol licenses.

Supporters of the bill claim that the intent of the measure is to streamline the process for getting a permit to carry a concealed pistol, but data from the Michigan State Police show that it’s a solution without a problem.

From 2003 through 2013, the number of CPLs issued in Michigan rose from over 30,000 to more than 110,000 and the amount of time it takes for an FBI clearance dropped from 11 days to about 2 hours.

“To most rational people, it would seem as though this process has been sufficiently streamlined. This is just another example of the Republicans in the legislature bowing to the whims of corporate lobbyists, like the National Rifle Association, who are only concerned about selling more and more guns,” said Lonnie Scott, executive director of Progress Michigan. “Senate Republicans clearly have the wrong priorities for Michigan. They’re more concerned with cutting deals for the NRA than fixing the massive budget shortfall that has resulted from decades of cuts and corporate tax giveaways.”

This is the second time that this bill has passed through the Senate. Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed similar legislation during Lame Duck because the bill would have allowed domestic abusers and stalkers to obtain a CPL. That language has since been removed from the bill.

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