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Lawmakers to vote on banning guns at capitol

Lansing capitol
Posted at 5:25 AM, May 11, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-11 05:41:37-04

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan lawmakers will meet Monday at 11 a.m. at the capitol to vote on whether or not to ban weapons from capitol properties.

This comes after protesters stormed the capitol during a rally against the stay at home order with military style weapons.

Guns can't be banned from Michigan’s Capitol building unless legislators change the law, says an official who helps oversee the building.

John Truscott, vice chairman of the Michigan State Capitol Commission says the panel doesn't have jurisdiction to prohibit weapons and it's a “legislative function.”

It appears unlikely the Republican-led Legislature would restrict guns.

Michigan’s Attorney General says she plans to issue a formal legal opinion Monday saying the Michigan State Capitol Commission can legally ban firearms there if it decides to do so.

She sent a letter to the commission Friday laying out the legality of the decision, but Nessel tells FOX17 the commission said it could not rely specifically on that letter when making a decision because it’s not a formal opinion.

Nessel says if the commission votes yes, an OAG is seen as a valid and binding interpretation of the law unless a court decides otherwise.

Our Brody Carter is live at the capitol and will bring us live coverage throughout the day.