Gov. Whitmer Signs Gun Violence Prevention

[KLAW Blog]

April 13, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 13, 2023 

Gov. Whitmer Signs Commonsense Gun Violence Prevention Legislation to Keep Michigan Communities Safe

Establishes universal background checks for all firearm purchases, safe storage requirements

 LANSING, Mich– Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed commonsense gun violence prevention bills that will establish universal background checks for all firearm purchases and safe storage requirements. In January, Governor Whitmer proposed this legislation during her State of the State address and has worked with the Michigan Legislature, community groups, law enforcement, students and parents following February’s shooting at Michigan State University and the shooting at Oxford High School in November 2021 to get these commonsense measures that will reduce gun violence signed into law. 

“Today, we are turning our pain into purpose and honoring those we have lost with commonsense gun violence prevention legislation supported by a majority of Michiganders,” said Governor Whitmer. “Universal background checks and safe storage are long-overdue steps we are proud to take today that will save lives by keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and domestic abusers and children in the home. I want to thank my partners in the legislature for getting this done, the advocates who fought so hard to make this happen, and every Michigander impacted by gun violence who shared their stories. We will keep working together to prevent mass shootings, reduce gun violence, and save lives.” 

  “Every gun death is preventable, yet so many Michiganders, including me, have lost people they love to the senseless tragedy of gun violence,” said Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “Today, we are taking action on commonsense reforms supported by a majority of Michiganders. Universal background checks and safe storage laws will save lives and help keep families and kids safe at home, in the streets, at school, and at work. These bills build on our ongoing investments in public safety and Operation Safe Neighborhoods to create safer communities where everyone can thrive. Governor Whitmer and I are committed to building on this progress and working with anyone to prevent gun violence.” 

Governor Whitmer signed Senate Bills 79, 80, 81, and 82 and House Bills 4138 and 4142.

“The prevalence of gun violence is exhausting and frustrating, and for a very long time it felt like there was no hope for progress. But the thousands of Michigan voices calling for change never gave up, and today – in our first hundred days of the new majority – that call for change results in new laws that will make our state safer,” Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) said. “We hope that these first steps become a blueprint for other states that have yet to find their path forward on gun violence prevention. Today’s bill signing is proof that when you bring first responders, students, parents, teachers, safety experts, and community leaders together to find common ground, you can save lives and build the better, safer future that Michiganders deserve.”

“Protecting children is our top priority,” said Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit).  “As elected officials, it is our responsibility to do what we can to help keep our communities safe from gun violence.  Requiring guns be safely stored in homes where a minor is present and implementing background checks for the purchase of all firearms are simple reforms that just make sense.  Owning a firearm is both a right and a responsibility and we must be sure we are doing all we can to help keep kids safe and to stop the illegal sale of guns.”

Senate Bill 79, sponsored by state Senator Bayer (D- West Bloomfield), will protect children by requiring an individual to keep a firearm being stored or left unattended on a premises unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box or container if it is reasonably known that a minor is or is likely to be present on the premises and establish a range of penalties for a violation. The bill will also require the Department of Health and Human Services to inform the public of the penalties, publish lethal means counseling literature, and provide that literature to federally licensed firearms dealers and revise the wording of a notice that a federally licensed firearms dealer must post on the premises where firearms are sold. 

“Finally, there is a tiny stitch to begin healing my heart, broken from the Oxford school shootings, the MSU school shootings, and every injury or death from accidental shootings of or by children. Finally, we are doing our job, passing legislation, taking our first steps to manage this out-of-control gun violence situation in Michigan,” said state Senator Rosemary Bayer (D-West Bloomfield). “I’m grateful for the work of my colleagues on this issue for years, for my team and the policy team who have worked so hard to get it done, and to the Governor and her team for making it possible for these to become law.  Let’s celebrate, and then get back to work on the next step!”

Senate Bill 80, sponsored by state Senator McDonald Rivet(D-Bay City) is the senator’s first public act. The legislation updates the state’s criminal code for safe storage of firearms for child access protection.

“I have devoted the bulk of my career to helping children and families thrive. We can’t thrive without feeling and being safe,” said state Senator McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City). “That’s why overwhelming majorities in Michigan, including gun owners, support the action we’re taking. This is about protecting our children and preventing tragedies from upending our communities. I’m proud to stand against special interests and stand up for kids and families.”

“Over half of all gun owners don’t store and lock their guns, which means millions of young children live in homes with unlocked and loaded firearms,” said state Representative Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield Township), chair of the Michigan Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention Caucus. “That’s why we’ve introduced bills that crate safe storage requirements for firearm owners with children in the home. By keeping guns properly stored, we can prevent even the potential misuse of those weapons by children. We have a chance and a responsibility to change the culture around keeping guns responsibly and securely stored. I have high hopes that these bills will not only encourage responsible gun ownership but that they will save Michiganders’ lives.”

Senate Bills 81 and 82, sponsored by state Senators Irwin and Hertel, lower the costs of firearm safety devices to ensure owners can safely store their guns, keeping them away from children and out of the hands of criminals.

“Firearm fatalities are currently the leading cause of death for young people in our nation,” said state Senator Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores). “As a father, I am proud of the steps our state is taking today to change that and build a safer future for all.”

House Bills 4138 and 4142, sponsored by state Representatives Churches and Carter, protect Michigan communities by closing loopholes in the law and expanding universal background checks to all firearms.

“It is our collective responsibility to keep students safe,” said state Representative Jaime Churches (D-Grosse Ile). “This legislation provides a foundation to help build a safer Michigan – so no student, no worshiper, no law enforcement officer – has to fear for their safety. As state representative for Downriver, I will advocate for reasonable, common-sense policies to protect our communities from gun violence.”

“Michigan has not been spared from our nation’s plague of gun violence,” said state Representative Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac). “For years now, the legislature in Michigan has been paralyzed to act. No more. I am proud to have the governor sign my bill as a part of the universal background check package and to be able to share in this great moment for our state.”

Quotes from Community Leaders

“This is a great day for Michiganders. The gun safety bills signed into law today will undoubtedly save lives and make the state of Michigan a safer place to live. No one should have to go about their lives and fear gun violence,” said former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. “Today’s bill signing was a major step forward to stopping gun violence in Michigan.  We thank Governor Whitmer, Speaker Tate, Leader Brinks, and all legislators who supported these important bills and the advocates who made this bill a reality.”

“This legislation is a commonsense approach to keeping children and communities safe,” said Marquette County Sherriff Gregory Zyburt. ” These bills will ensure those that do not qualify to purchase guns, don’t. I’m thankful to work alongside legislators to prevent gun violence and keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who intend to harm others.”

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