By David Fleet
Editor
According to news sources, during the afternoon of Feb. 14, armed with a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle— Nikolas Cruz, 19, allegedly entered Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. and opened fire on teachers and students killing 17.
Since the school shooting lawmakers at the state and national level are grappling with possible changes in legislation to curb such tragedies prior to the latest shooting in Florida. However, the guidelines lawmakers face included a host exceptions, from types of guns, to where they are carried to even how they are carried.

The impact of those changes to gun owners is far-reaching considering there are about 600,000 concealed pistol license holders in Michigan according to data compiled by the Michigan State Police. That’s about 6 percent of Michigan’s adult population. There are also about 78,000 CPL holders in Oakland County and 28,000 in Genesee County as of June 1, 2017.
One such gun law passed the Michigan House last summer and is waiting debate in the Michigan Senate sometime this year.
State Rep. Triston Cole (R), who represents Antrim, Charlevoix, Otsego, Montmorency and Oscoda counties introduced Michigan House Bills 4416-4419, last summer. Legislation enabling law-abiding citizens to carry concealed pistols without obtaining a government-issued permit was approved by the House Judiciary Committee on May 30. Under current law, a person without a concealed pistol license could be legally carrying a gun openly on his or her hip and merely putting on a coat makes them in violation of the law. The bills passed the House on June 7 by a vote of 59-49. On June 13 the bills were referred to the Senate Government Operations Committee. If approved, the bills could go on to the senate this summer.
State Rep. John Reilly, R-46th District which serves Brandon along with Oxford, Addison, Orion and Oxford townships voted in favor of the legislation. Last week, Reilly who starting his second year in the house responded to his vote.
“When I voted for House Bills 4416-4419, I was well aware of the murders at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2013, Virginia Tech in 2007, Columbine High School in 1999, and other similar incidents,” said Reilly. “This latest calamity is a painful reminder of many underlying problems. It is tragic that the government cannot protect children in its custody. It is tragic that people licensed to carry were unable to defend their own lives. It is tragic that killers can safely assume that their victims are defenseless. It is tragic that our society creates these evil people and is unable to identify and respond to imminent threats. I see no way that allowing law-abiding citizens to defend themselves in an emergency would embolden murderers, and obvious ways it might discourage them, based upon their pattern of targeting those known to be unarmed. So my position on these bills is unchanged.”
State Rep. Joe Graves R-51st District which serves Argentine, Atlas, Fenton, Flushing, Gaines townships, the Village of Goodrich and the cities of Linden and Fenton. In addition to Groveland, Holly and Rose townships in Oakland. Due to term limits, Graves is in his last year as a member of the House of Representatives. Graves supported the bills.
“I think there has been much disagreement in regards to how this issue should be solved, but we can all agree that what we currently have in place is not working,” said Graves.
“I think it is important that legislators work with their local superintendents and other officials to develop a comprehensive plan most suitable to that district’s security needs, as I believe the issue is more about school safety than gun control. We guard everything we hold precious with guns, yet schools and churches remain gun free zones. As adults, it is our responsibility to always protect our children no matter where they are.”