LANSING, Mich. — Randy Hazel is a responsible gun owner with a Concealed Pistol License.
"I carry 99% of the time unless when I can't," Hazel said.
And a place Hazel soon wouldn't be able to carry in are state legislative buildings, like the very capitol building he's standing in.
The Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety heard testimony from lawmakers and neighbors about bills looking to prohibit concealed pistols in certain state buildings.
But there's a catch.
"There's an exception that if someone has a CPL license but is a senator or representative they can carry," Hazel said.
State senators say the bills stem from an incident in the capitol back in 2020, when protesters openly carried firearms in the capitol, which was allowed at the time.
"Many of us were in this building absolutely terrified as firearms were pointed at us while we were trying to do our jobs," Senator Sarah Anthony said.
In August of 2023, the Capitol Commission banned open carry in the Capitol as a result of multiple protests where guns were present. They also added additional safety protocols to ensure the safety of lawmakers and visitors.
"The people in the building are the most secure people in Lansing, anywhere in the state of Michigan. We have at least three different police forces protecting them," William Kandler said.
William Kandler, with the Capitol Commission, tells me Michigan state police and AI firearm detection is at every public entrance to try to stop any violence but Hazel says it might not be enough.
"I just want to provide safety for myself if I come through here with my family, my kids, my grand kids, I should be afforded the same opportunity to protect my family as they are," Hazel said.
The bills were referred to the committee as a whole for the next steps.
