Legislation to fix gap in Michigan's ban on firearms in airports sent to Senate
Legislation to address a change in federal regulations that has left Michigan with a gap in its laws against bringing firearms past security at airports is heading to the state Senate for consideration.
The bill, SB 22, would address the technicality in state law that allowed former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) to avoid prosecution by the Emmet County prosecutor after bringing a loaded handgun to the Pellston Regional Airport in 2018.
Michigan law defines the “sterile area” past security at an airport where firearms are banned by referencing a federal regulation line that has changed since the law was written. Back in 2018, Emmet County Prosecutor James Linderman said he couldn’t prosecute Chatfield due to the state law being dependent on a definition in a federal regulation line that has since changed.
Linderman testified last week in front of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure committee in support of the legislation to clearly define the “sterile area” in airports in Michigan law.
https://michiganadvance.com/blog/legislation-to-fix-gap-in-michigans-ban-on-firearms-in-airports-sent-to-senate/