State Rep. Doug Wozniak today voted in support of two commonsense bills that would improve efficiency and customer service in Michigan’s concealed pistol licensing process.

House Bill 4980 and House Bill 5113 focus on reducing unnecessary delays and correcting administrative mistakes that can prevent law-abiding citizens from timely receiving or renewing a concealed pistol license (CPL).

“Law-abiding residents should not be stuck waiting months because of bureaucratic delays or paperwork errors,” said Wozniak (R-Shelby Township). “These bills are about making government work better, treating people fairly, and delivering basic services in a reasonable and timely way.”

House Bill 4980 would allow individuals to apply for a new or renewed concealed pistol license through the county clerk of any county in Michigan, rather than being limited to the county where they reside. While some counties process CPL applications quickly, others face backlogs that can delay approvals for months.

“This is a simple administrative fix,” said Wozniak. “If one county can process applications in a day while another takes several months, residents should have the flexibility to choose a location that gets the job done efficiently.”

House Bill 5113 focuses on protecting CPL applicants from unnecessary penalties caused by administrative or court-related errors. In some cases, long-time CPL holders have been disqualified during the renewal process because of decades-old, resolved charges that appeared due to court disposition errors.

Under current law, applicants in these situations are forced to resubmit their application and pay the full renewal fee again. House Bill 5113 creates a clear and practical process to correct those errors, allowing applicants to resubmit a corrected application without additional fees when the mistake is caused by a court, clerk, or other third party. The bill also provides a 21-day grace period for applicants to fix errors they made themselves.

Wozniak emphasized that neither bill changes CPL eligibility standards or weakens public safety protections. Instead, the legislation reduces red tape, prevents unnecessary costs, and gives county clerks the tools they need to resolve issues efficiently.

House Bills 4980 and 5113 now advance to the Senate for further consideration.