HOUSE BILL NO. 4863

May 18, 2021, Introduced by Reps. Steven Johnson, Carra, Hoitenga, Brann, Fink, Borton, Paquette, Beeler, Bellino, Reilly, Hornberger, Maddock and Allor and referred to the Committee on Military, Veterans and Homeland Security.

"The Michigan penal code,"

by amending sections 231 and 237a (MCL 750.231 and 750.237a), as amended by 2017 PA 96; and to repeal acts and parts of acts.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 231. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), sections 224, 224a, 224b, and 224d , 227, 227c, and 227d do not apply to any of the following:

(a) A peace officer of an authorized police agency of the United States, of this state, or of a political subdivision of this state, who is regularly employed and paid by the United States, this state, or a political subdivision of this state.

(b) A person who is regularly employed by the state department of corrections and who is authorized in writing by the director of the department of corrections to carry a concealed weapon while in the official performance of his or her duties or while going to or returning from those duties.

(c) A person employed by a private vendor that operates a youth correctional facility authorized under section 20g of the corrections code of 1953, 1953 PA 232, MCL 791.220g, who meets the same criteria established by the director of the state department of corrections for departmental employees described in subdivision (b) and who is authorized in writing by the director of the department of corrections to carry a concealed weapon while in the official performance of his or her duties or while going to or returning from those duties.

(d) A member of the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, or Marine Corps or the United States Coast Guard while carrying weapons in the line of or incidental to duty.

(e) An organization authorized by law to purchase or receive weapons from the United States or from this state.

(f) A member of the National Guard, United States Armed Forces Reserve, the United States Coast Guard Reserve, or any other authorized military organization while on duty or drill, or in going to or returning from a place of assembly or practice, while carrying weapons used for a purpose of the National Guard, United States Armed Forces Reserve, United States Coast Guard Reserve, or other duly authorized military organization.

(g) A security employee employed by the state and granted limited arrest powers under section 6c of 1935 PA 59, MCL 28.6c.

(h) A motor carrier officer appointed under section 6d of 1935 PA 59, MCL 28.6d.

(2) As applied to section 224a(1) only, subsection (1) is not applicable to an individual included under subsection (1)(a), (b), or (c) unless he or she has been trained on the use, effects, and risks of using a portable device or weapon described in section 224a(1).

Sec. 237a. (1) An individual who engages in conduct proscribed under section 224, 224a, 224b, 224c, 224e, 226, 227, 227a, 227f, 234a, 234b, or 234c, or who engages in conduct proscribed under section 223(2) for a second or subsequent time, in a weapon free school zone is guilty of a felony punishable by 1 or more of the following:

(a) Imprisonment for not more than the maximum term of imprisonment authorized for the section violated.

(b) Community service for not more than 150 hours.

(2) An individual who engages in conduct proscribed under section 223(1), 224d, 227c, 227d, 231c, 232a(1) or (4), 233, 234, 234e, 234f, 235, 236, or 237, or who engages in conduct proscribed under section 223(2) for the first time, in a weapon free school zone is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by 1 or more of the following:

(a) Imprisonment for not more than the maximum term of imprisonment authorized for the section violated or 93 days, whichever is greater.

(b) Community service for not more than 100 hours.

(3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to conduct proscribed under a section enumerated in those subsections to the extent that the proscribed conduct is otherwise exempted or authorized under this chapter.

(4) Except as provided in subsection (5), an individual who possesses a weapon in a weapon free school zone is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by 1 or more of the following:

(a) Imprisonment for not more than 93 days.

(b) Community service for not more than 100 hours.

(5) Subsection (4) does not apply to any of the following:

(a) An individual employed by or contracted by a school if the possession of that weapon is to provide security services for the school.

(b) A peace officer.

(d) An individual who possesses a weapon provided by a school or a school's instructor on school property for purposes of providing or receiving instruction in the use of that weapon.

(e) An individual who possesses a firearm on school property if that possession is with the permission of the school's principal or an agent of the school designated by the school's principal or the school board.

(f) An individual who is 18 years of age or older, who is not a student at the school, and who possesses a firearm on school property while transporting a student to or from the school if any of the following apply:

(i) The individual is carrying an antique firearm, completely unloaded, in a wrapper or container in the trunk of a vehicle while en route to or from a hunting or target shooting area or function involving the exhibition, demonstration, or sale of antique firearms.

(ii) The individual is carrying a firearm unloaded in a wrapper or container in the trunk of the person's individual's vehicle, while in possession of a valid Michigan hunting license or proof of valid membership in an organization having shooting range facilities, and while en route to or from a hunting or target shooting area.

(iii) The individual is carrying a firearm unloaded in a wrapper or container in the trunk of the individual's vehicle from the place of purchase to his or her home or place of business or to a place of repair or back to his or her home or place of business, or in moving goods from one place of abode or business to another place of abode or business.

(iv) The individual is carrying an unloaded firearm in the passenger compartment of a vehicle that does not have a trunk, if the individual is otherwise complying with the requirements of subparagraph (ii) or (iii) and the wrapper or container is not readily accessible to the occupants of the vehicle.

(6) As used in this section:

(a) "Antique firearm" means either of the following:

(i) A firearm not designed or redesigned for using rimfire or conventional center fire ignition with fixed ammunition and manufactured in or before 1898, including a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system or a replica of such a firearm, whether actually manufactured before or after the year 1898.

(ii) A firearm using fixed ammunition manufactured in or before 1898, for which ammunition is no longer manufactured in the United States and is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade.

(b) "School" means a public, private, denominational, or parochial school offering developmental kindergarten, kindergarten, or any grade from 1 through 12.

(c) "School property" means a building, playing field, or property used for school purposes to impart instruction to children or used for functions and events sponsored by a school, except a building used primarily for adult education or college extension courses.

(d) "Weapon" includes, but is not limited to, a pneumatic gun.

(e) "Weapon free school zone" means school property and a vehicle used by a school to transport students to or from school property.

Enacting section 1. Sections 227, 227a, 227c, 227d, 231a, and 234d of the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.227, 750.227a, 750.227c, 750.227d, 750.231a, and 750.234d are repealed.