Michigan House Votes To Carve Air Guns Out Of Firearms Laws

LANSING (WWJ/AP) - Are air guns and pellet guns "firearms"?

They could soon be largely exempt from that classification in Michigan as the state House finishes two days of voting on bills revising how the state regulates gun use and ownership.

The House approved several bills Wednesday. The package approved Thursday would carve out pellet and air guns from some Michigan firearms laws.

The bills would keep pellet and air guns in the definition of firearms for certain hunting laws, as well as prohibiting people from being armed with such guns with the intent of unlawful use. The bills were all approved with 80 or more votes from the 110 member House and will now go to the Senate.

The package is similar to one introduced last session. Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed them, saying he expected all of the bills in the package to reach his desk at once.

The bills are backed by the National Rifle Association. It says Michigan is one of just four states to classify most pellet and air guns as firearms, which the gun rights group says is an "unduly burdensome restraint."

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