January Legislative Update, Part 2

Last week, we reported on the full House passage of House Bill 4284, which would lower CPL renewal fees from $115 to $30. This week, the Michigan House continued its offensive on behalf of CPL holders by passing House Bill 4980. Both bills received bipartisan support and must now be considered by the Michigan Senate.

House Bill 4980 would allow a person to apply for a concealed pistol license in any Michigan county, not only the county in which they reside. This bill will benefit commuters who work in a different county than where they live, people who live closer to another county seat than their own, and people who live in counties with exceptionally long processing times for license applications.

The Civilian Marksmanship Program

Belonging to a Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) Affiliate Club, such as the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners, connects members to a nationally recognized framework that promotes safe, responsible firearms ownership and marksmanship training. CMP affiliation provides access to educational resources, certified competitions, and eligibility for CMP programs and events, all of which emphasize safety, discipline, and skill development. Members benefit from a structured pathway to improve marksmanship, participate in community-based shooting sports, and engage with like-minded individuals who value lawful gun ownership.

One of the most tangible benefits of belonging to a CMP-affiliated club, including the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners, is eligibility to purchase surplus firearms directly from the Civilian Marksmanship Program. CMP affiliation satisfies a core requirement for these purchases, allowing members lawful access to historic U.S. government surplus firearms such as the M1 Garand and M1911A1 that are professionally inspected, graded, and sold with clear provenance. This program offers fair, transparent pricing, ensures compliance with federal law, and bypasses the uncertainty of the secondary market. For many members, this benefit combines historical preservation, safe ownership, and marksmanship heritage in a way that is simply unavailable without CMP club membership.

As a member of MCRGO, you are also a member of the CMP. To take advantage of CMP Affiliate Club benefits, you will need proof of MCRGO membership. MCRGO ceased printing membership cards in early 2020. Digital membership cards, which CMP prefers, are available for all current members by logging in HERE.

Legal Video Request for Proposal

MCRGO operates a concealed pistol license training program in which it certifies instructors to train students under the requirements of Michigan law. One of these requirements is instruction in firearms and the law, including civil liability issues and the use of deadly force. MCRGO provides this instruction by an attorney through a recorded video format.

MCRGO wishes to replace its current legal video with a CPL Legal Lesson video that is concise, engaging, broken into sections with section titles, has key points highlighted by text, and includes closed captioning for the deaf and hard of hearing. The completed video will be between 70 and 100 minutes in length.

The project company will be providing both videography and video editing services. The videography portion will involve recording content from an attorney in the Lansing, Michigan area. The raw video will be presented to a team of instructors who will make recommendations to trim, split, and order content. The video editor will arrange the remaining content, add titles and text provided by MCRGO, and add closed captioning.

Proposals shall be submitted to MCRGO Executive Director Brady Schickinger by email to [email protected] no later than 12:00 PM (Noon) EST on Monday, February 16, 2026. Confirmation of receipt will occur within 24 hours. Submitted proposals will remain confidential. The MCRGO Operations Committee will select a proposal by Friday, February 27, 2026. Following selection, the project company will prepare and submit a contract to MCRGO, and MCRGO will prepare and submit an NDA to the project company.

The full request for proposal, including the project timeline, proposal elements, and evaluation criteria, may be found HERE.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Outdoorama

Thursday-Sunday, February 19-22, 2026, Hours Vary by Day

Suburban Collection Showplace, 46100 Grand River Ave.; Novi, MI 48374

MCRGO's booth number is 5415.

Ultimate Sports Show

Thursday-Sunday, March 12-15, 2026, Hours Vary by Day

DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW; Grand Rapids, MI 49503

MCRGO's booth number is 2153.

NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits

Thursday-Sunday, April 16-19, 2026, Hours Vary by Day

George R. Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida De Las Americas, Houston, TX 77010

MCRGO will represent Michigan at Friday's State Clubs & Associations Workshop

More information is available HERE.