LANSING, Mich. — Firearms and explosives are now banned from entering the Capitol building in Lansing.
Open carry firearms were banned in 2021, but Wednesday’s ruling pertains to all weapons. Exemptions to the rule include law enforcement and lawmakers with concealed pistol licenses.
However, the original motion did not include the exemption for lawmakers. Wednesday morning, an amendment was proposed to include that exemption, which was approved 4-2. After that, the entire motion as amended passed unanimously.
Chair of the Michigan State Capitol Commission Bill Kander is one of the two "no votes" on the amendment to include lawmakers in the exemption.
"When you think about it, it allows the potential of up to almost 150 More guns in the building - 148 legislators if everyone was carrying. It just seems counter because the whole purpose of what we're trying to accomplish here, [is to] make [the capitol] more safe with less guns in the building."
He says this procedure is especially important because "over the last few years, we've seen so many examples of gun violence and especially the rising level of politically related violence."
In 2020, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel confirmed that the Commission has the authority to ban weapons within the Capitol. With that announcement, Kander says the Commission felt that if they had the authority to ban weapons, then they also had the responsibility to do so.
Kander says in addition to restoring and taking care of the Capitol, the Commission is also responsible for security.
With this new procedure now in place, starting Aug. 28, there will be "pass-through" detectors when people enter the building. The equipment was installed last week and people will be required to be checked by the Michigan State Police or the House and Senate Sergeants.
While he knows this is to further protect people within the Capitol, Kander says he's "sad" that such procedures have to be in place.
After the 2020 protests against Governor Whitmer's COVID-19 restrictions and January 6th, Kander adds that this is also about "protecting our democracy" and says that "people who are elected to debate and vote on legislation should be able to do that without fear of somebody peering down on them from a gallery with a gun."
Rep. Angela Rigas, who represents District 79, says the ban violates the Second Amendment and is unfair to Michigan residents.
"While a lot of people are celebrating this as a victory that 'Oh, the legislators can carry,' this is not a victory," says Rigas. "This is granting special rights to certain classes of citizens, and we are guaranteed these certain rights, equal protection, equal rights. And this is just another example of Democrats picking who is allowed to have rights and who's not."
Watch our full interview with Representative Rigas below:
Created in 2013, "the Michigan State Capitol Commission manages the Michigan State Capitol Historic Site, maintains and restores the State Capitol Building, and maintains and improves the grounds of the site. The Commission makes recommendations to the Governor, the Senate, and the House of Representatives regarding funding for the site."
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