What constitutional carry would mean for Michigan gun owners

Chad Livengood, The Detroit News on Mar 4, 2026

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A group of Republican lawmakers wants to get rid of Michigan's law requiring residents to have a permit to carry a concealed pistol.

Legislation introduced this week in the GOP-controlled Michigan House would repeal the state's concealed pistol permit law, allowing residents to carry a handgun without any identification that they're permitted to do so.

The Republican-authored bills seek to make Michigan a so-called “constitutional carry” state, where residents can assert their Second Amendment right to bear arms when carrying a concealed handgun into public places.

“It’s time for Michigan to put into law what dozens of other states across our country have already realized,” state Rep. Mike Hoadley, R-Au Gres, said in a statement. “These permit requirements are a misguided attempt to protect people. In reality, they only serve as a hindrance to responsible gun owners who are already well-versed in gun safety. Whether you own a firearm or not, we have to recognize that regularly exercising our rights is the only way we can actually defend them.”

Even if the legislation gets approved by the House, the bills face dim prospects of getting past the Democratic-controlled Michigan Senate, where senators have pursued legislation in recent years to significantly limit the places where individuals with concealed pistol licenses can carry a firearm.

House Bills 5653-5657 were introduced Tuesday in the Michigan House of Representatives and assigned to the judiciary committee.

But if the bills were to become law, Michigan would become the 30th state to adopt a "constitutional carry" law, according to House Republicans.

“The right to self-defense should be safeguarded from government overreach, yet Lansing politicians have undermined it for decades," state Rep. Joseph Fox, R-Fremont, said in a statement. "We now have an opportunity to ensure that the state of Michigan takes a clear stand by protecting the constitutional rights that define our nation’s history and legacy.”