GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — There are a few posts circulating social media recently that claim you could be arrested or fined for lawfully carrying a concealed handgun if you wear a mask in compliance with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive orders surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak in Michigan.
Those claims are false.
According to both the Michigan Penal Code and the Montcalm County Sheriff’s Department, there is no federal statutory law concerning the issuance of concealed-carry permits except for serving and retired law enforcement officers.
The Montcalm County Sheriff’s Office put out a Facebook post Tuesday addressing the concern.
"There is nothing in the CPL statute for Michigan that makes it a crime to carry a weapon in compliance with a CPL while wearing a mask," the post read.
A search of Michigan laws on the state website finds only one reference to masks and guns, but it does not apply to lawful CPL carriers.
Michigan Penal Code Act 328 of 1931 states: “A person who intentionally conceals his or her identity by wearing a mask or other device covering his or her face for the purpose of facilitating the commission of a crime is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.”
If the CPL holder is not committing a crime, the mask rule does not apply.
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