Some changes to Michigan's gun laws quietly going into effect

In their “lame duck” session, state lawmakers passed a number of measures that would change state gun laws.    Governor Rick Snyder vetoed one of those bills last week.

But others are set to become state law.

The governor rejected a bill that would have let people with special permits carry concealed weapons into places like schools, daycares, and churches.

But Snyder signed a measure that would streamline the permitting process for handguns.

He did so only after lawmakers took out language that would eliminate the state’s handgun registry and abolish state background checks entirely.

Republican state Representative Paul Opsommer says pressure also came from law enforcement officials.

“That’s something they strongly disagreed with, and so did the governor, so that part of the bill was taken out,” says Opsommer.

Under the new law, permits to purchase handguns will be valid for 30 days instead of 10.   It will also eliminate state background checks for gun sales at federally-licensed retailers.