LANSING, Mich. (WSYM) — As the debate over gun reform rages on in the Legislature, a quieter change is happening in elected officials’ actual office buildings.
This week, there's a new ban on carrying guns in the Anderson House Office Building, a decision one state representative calls absolutely ridiculous.
“People need to carry to protect themselves because criminals don't follow laws," state Rep. Angela Rigas said.
Rigas typically carries a firearm on her hip while at work in the office building and on the Capitol grounds. So, it's no surprise that she's against this ban on carrying guns.
“It is infuriating, actually, because a lot of the representatives walk with their staff after hours were out in the parking garage. We have a lot of female staff and for them to be unsafe, unable to protect themselves is the blood falls on the hands of our speaker of the House," she said.
It's important to note that the policy applies directly to staffers in the House. Visitors, House sergeants and lawmakers are not employees of the House, so they'll be exempt, meaning Rigas will not have to disarm.
Speaker Joe Tate was unavailable for an interview, but his press secretary, Amber McCann, said in a statement, “Weapons do not belong in the workplace. This policy helps ensure the safety of all House employees and aligns with most people’s expectations of an office environment.”
