At the close of the 2002 legislative session, NRA-ILA was successful in passing Right to Carry reform legislation that benefits carry permit holders in several ways. This bill, which has now been signed by Governor John Engler (R), removes most restaurants that serve alcohol as "gun-free zones," extends the carry permit from three to five years, and removes non-violent misdemeanors as disqualifiers under the permitting process.
As Michigan`s Shall-Issue law went into effect on July 1, 2001, NRA-ILA`s success in moving reform legislation just 16 months later is a testament to the overall success of the new system and the fact that with over 85,000 new permits in the state, there has not been a single reported incident of a permit holder misusing a firearm while carrying concealed.