The Michigan House this week approved a bill introduced by State Rep. Pat Outman that protects concealed pistol license (CPL) applicants from unnecessary penalties caused by administrative errors.

House Bill 5113 was developed at the request of the Montcalm County Clerk’s Office after staff identified a troubling pattern during CPL renewals. Long-time CPL holders were unexpectedly disqualified when decades-old, resolved charges appeared during the renewal process. After consulting with the Michigan State Police, the clerk’s office determined the issue stemmed from court disposition errors, not from the applicants themselves.

Under current law, applicants caught in these situations are required to resubmit their application and pay the full renewal fee again, even when the error was through no fault of their own.

“The main objective of House Bill 5113 is simple,” said Outman (R-Six Lakes). “It’s to create a clear process for correcting errors on CPL applications, allowing for a short grace period while those issues are fixed.” 

House Bill 5113 allows applicants to resubmit a corrected application without an additional fee when an error is caused by a court, clerk, or other third party, and provides a 21-day grace period for applicants to correct errors they made themselves.

Outman emphasized that the legislation does not change CPL eligibility standards or weaken public safety protections. Instead, it gives county clerks a practical tool to resolve problems quickly while protecting residents from unnecessary frustration and expense.

“At the end of the day, this bill is about fairness and efficiency,” said Outman (R-Six Lakes). “It just ensures that law-abiding CPL owners aren’t punished for simple errors or administrative mix-ups, and that our clerks have the flexibility they need to resolve these issues quickly and without unnecessary costs.”

House Bill 5113 now advances to the Senate for further consideration.