imported post
This hearing went EXTREMELY well, and it looks favorable for the bill making it out of committee and onto the floor. I won't go into too much detail.
To answer some questions about it, (and my elaborations are not to convince you guys, but to give you ammo with which to effectively fight opponents):
It will make it entirely legal to carry anywhere on a college campus. This removes any legal justification colleges have for prohibiting firearms. Some colleges will claim that their entire class building is a classroom, and thus you cannot carry your pistol. This removes any state endorsement of any such policies, and means that colleges that ban firearms are in the same position as a business establishment that bans firearms - except that colleges are publicly funded institutions, and more frequent targets of violence by insane and suicidal individuals - sure, you may be safer from robbery on campus, but there are few places you can go where you are more in danger of a mass shooting. Yes, there have been only a couple mass shootings at college campuses. But how many have you heard of at bowling alleys? Movie theatres? This is the best argument against the up-and-coming argument that "college campuses are safe areas, safer than surrounding areas."
Currently, you CAN OPEN CARRY in a pistol free zone, and this includes college campuses. The college will throw you out in a heartbeat and expel you for firearms violations. But the state of Michigan will have no case against as you have violated no law.
The bill does not apply to private colleges. As they are privately funded, they can essentially prohibit you from possessing firearms via their contract with you as a student/faculty/staff member. State pre-emption, if extended to colleges, (HB5474) would not extend to private universities, (as far as I have heard.) As this is only a contract they are making with a student, they are free to tell the student that they must leave if they possess a firearm. The reality, however, is that no one really wants to interfere with private schools and thus the issue is not very well covered.
So, to review, according to Michigan state law, you can currently OC or CC anywhere on campus until you reach a classroom or dorm. Once at that point, you must expose your firearm. This bill, if passed, would allow you to keep the firearm concealed -a far more sensible thing in an educational environment.
Please write your State Senator in support of this bill. They really do pay attention to these emails and their level of support depends on how well they feel the measure is supported by their constituents. Here's an entry page for finding your senator.
http://senate.michigan.gov/
Specifically, you can help by emailing Sen. Whitmer (East Lansing)
SenGWhitmer@senate.michigan.gov
Clark (Wayne County)
SenHansenClarke@senate.michigan.gov
and Basham (Wayne County)
SenRBasham@senate.michigan.gov
The above are the Democrats on the Committee.Only Whitmer attended the meeting and was fairly opposed, but finally relented and called for scientific facts to back up the pro-SB747 arguments. Ihave already emailed her data on the matter.