A bill introduced in the state senate would prohibit taking a weapon into an airport.
As it stands now, federal and state laws state that people cannot bring a weapon into what is called a “sterile area” at an airport.
But the definition of a sterile area that the state used was removed in 2001. This created a loophole where people could bring weapons into airports with little consequence.
Grand Ledge Republican Rick Jones said his bill will define a sterile area as any place behind a government check point:
“We wanna make sure that the law is correct because we want prosecutors to have all the tools in the tool box if a really bad person tries to enter an airport who does not have a license to carry and has ill intent."
Jones said thousands of people in Michigan accidentally bring weapons into airports each year.
In August, Levering Republican Lee Chatfield was ticketed for bringing an unregistered handgun to the Pellston Airport.
Chatfield could not be reached for comment, but he supports the bill.
If the bill passes it would make what he did a felony.