Republican lawmakers in Michigan are advancing legislation that would allow residents to carry concealed handguns without first obtaining a state permit, a policy change supporters say would align the state more closely with constitutional carry laws adopted in other parts of the country.

The proposal, introduced March 3 in the Michigan House of Representatives, would eliminate Michigan’s requirement that residents apply for a concealed pistol license before carrying a handgun concealed in public. Under current law, applicants must complete a training course and pay roughly $100 in fees to receive the permit.

Backers of the legislation argue that law-abiding citizens should not have to obtain government approval to carry a firearm for personal protection.

Jay DeBoyer, a Republican state representative sponsoring the bill, said the measure is intended to restore what supporters view as a constitutional right to self-defense without additional state barriers.

“For the government of the state of Michigan to tell us that we have to be qualified under the guise of their rules to protect ourselves is a far cry from what the Constitution provides for us,” DeBoyer said while discussing the proposal.

Another Republican sponsor, Jim DeSana, compared concealed carry permits to government authorization for other constitutional freedoms.

“When we exercise other First Amendment rights like our right to speak, we do not have to get a permit or permission from the government to speak,” DeSana said. “When we exercise our right to worship, we do not have to go get a permit or permission to go worship.”

Supporters of the legislation have emphasized that the proposal would not eliminate Michigan’s concealed pistol license system. Residents who want a permit for travel purposes could still apply for one, allowing them to carry firearms in other states that recognize Michigan permits through reciprocity agreements.

Michigan already has a large number of residents holding concealed pistol licenses. According to monthly reporting from the Michigan State Police, more than 844,000 concealed pistol license applications had an approved status statewide as of March 1.

The legislation comes as several states have adopted permitless concealed carry policies in recent years, often referred to by supporters as constitutional carry. If approved by the legislature and signed into law, the measure would place Michigan among those states allowing residents to carry concealed firearms without first obtaining a permit.