Daily Briefs . . .

Last call for SBM McCree Award nominations: Deadline is Friday
This is the last call for submissions and nominations for the State Bar of Michigan’s 41st Annual Wade H. McCree Jr. Awards for the Advancement of Justice. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 6.
The McCree Awards recognize Michigan broadcast, print media, and online journalists who foster greater public understanding of the inherent values of our legal and judicial system through their published materials.

To be eligible, written and online materials and radio and television broadcasts must be published and/or aired between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2014. They must inform and educate citizens about the role of the law, the courts, law enforcement agencies, and the legal profession in society. Print and online entries may consist of feature or news articles, interpretive analyses, editorials, or combinations of these. In the broadcast category, documentaries or educational or editorial programs may be submitted.

Any newspaper, website, wire service, news syndicate, magazine, radio station, legal publication, network, or any of these organization's employees are eligible to enter. There is no charge for entering.

The awards will be presented in April 2015 in conjunction with the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in East Lansing.

All entries should be postmarked no later than Friday, February 6, 2015, and mailed to: SBM Media and Public Relations, Wade H. McCree, Jr. Awards, State Bar of Michigan, Michael Franck Building, 306 Townsend Street, Lansing, MI 48933-2012 or emailed to smeinke@mail.michbar.org.

Senate approves gun bill without protection order provision
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Senate on Tuesday again voted to overhaul how concealed gun licenses are issued in Michigan, removing a provision related to personal protection orders that led
Gov. Rick Snyder to veto similar legislation nearly three weeks ago.

The bills, approved 28-9 by the Republican-led chamber and sent to the House, would speed up the renewal of concealed carry permits and eliminate county licensing boards, transferring their responsibilities to county clerks and the Michigan State Police effective Oct. 1.

The state police would have the responsibility for verifying whether an applicant is eligible.

A license lasts for four to five years. A renewal would have to be issued or denied within 30 days instead of the current 60-day deadline under the bills.

The legislation does not include a provision that would let some people who have personal protection orders against them still obtain concealed weapon licenses if the orders did not contain gun restrictions.

Snyder, a Republican, cited the provision and his concerns about domestic violence victims when vetoing the bills on Jan. 15.

The new legislation also would reduce the application fee from $105 to $100 and require the state police to create a system for renewing online or by mail by October 2018.

The bills are the first to clear either legislative chamber in the new two-year session.

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