By Michael Kransz
mlive.com
LANSING, Mich. — From raising the age to purchase firearms to banning “assault weapons,” a state-led task force has issued a host of recommendations it says will reduce gun violence and save lives in Michigan.
It’s unclear whether the state Legislature will take up and pass these recommendations unveiled Monday, Nov. 24, by the Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force in its final report.
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Some of the recommendations are likely to face stiff resistance in the Republican-controlled House, which has declined to take up bans on bump stocks and ghost guns passed by the Senate and now recommended by the task force.
House Speaker Matt Hall, R- Richland Township, hadn’t yet reviewed the recommendations as of Monday morning and couldn’t comment.
Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, said Senate Democrats are devoted to combating gun violence as long as it continues to plague communities around the state.
“I’m glad to see that the task force’s report builds on some of the major policies we’ve already enacted, like safe storage and universal background checks,” Brinks said. “This year, the Senate passed bans on bump stocks and ghost guns, and I urge the House to take these up in short order. I look forward to learning more about the task force’s research and working in tandem to keep our neighborhoods safe.”
The Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force was created in June 2024 by order of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. It followed new gun safety and control laws enacted earlier that year in the wake of the mass shooting at Michigan State University that killed three students and injured five others.
That legislative package brought about universal background checks on gun purchases, firearm restrictions for people convicted of domestic violence, secure gun storage requirements and “red flag” orders. Extreme Risk Protection Orders created by red flag laws allow Michiganders to seek temporary, court-ordered removal of firearms from at-risk individuals.
Whitmer noted Monday that the report comes as the state nears the four-year anniversary of the 2021 mass shooting at Oxford High School that killed four students and injured seven people.
“While we’ve made significant progress since then, gun violence remains an epidemic, with over 11,000 preventable deaths and injuries just this year,” Whitmer said. “We all want to keep Michiganders safe. These recommendations will help us do exactly that. Together, let’s keep getting it done and save lives.”
The task force is led by Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, and includes academic researchers, prosecutors, law enforcement, tribal representatives, education, community and business leaders, mental health professionals and officials from state departments.
In its report, the task force noted that some of the recommendations may be challenging to implement.
“With lives on the line, incremental change is not enough. We must act with urgency and conviction to adopt policy solutions that will save lives and create a safer future for all Michiganders,” task force members wrote in the report.
Here’s a look at the recommendations, which were developed over the past year with input from a wide range of advocates.
- Requiring waiting periods for all firearm purchases. The task force does not give a recommended amount of time but Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) officials say this “cooling-off period” can prevent impulsive acts of gun violence and gives more time for background checks.
- Increasing the age of firearm purchase to 21. Residents 18 and older can currently purchase a handgun from a private seller and long guns from a private seller or licensed dealer. However, customers must be 21 or older to purchase a handgun from a licensed dealer.
- Close the concealed pistol license loophole. Currently, residents can purchase a firearm without a background check or permit through a CPL loophole, MDHHS officials say.
- Banning ghost guns. Ghost guns are untraceable firearms that don’t have serial numbers.
- Prohibit the possession of large capacity magazines. The task force did not define large capacity magazines. A defunct federal ban previously defined large capacity magazines as ones that could hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, but some states have put the limit at more than 15 or 20 rounds.
- Prohibit the sale, possession, manufacture or transfer of assault weapons. The task force did not define what constitutes an assault weapon. Usually these bans target semiautomatic rifles that have features like a pistol grip, barrel shroud, or a grip for the nontrigger hand, and can accept a detachable magazine.
- Ban automatic conversion devices. These are devices that convert semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic guns and are generally already illegal under state and federal law. However, one attachment called a bump stock remains legal and allows semiautomatic rifles to fire at a rate similar to machine guns.
- Prohibit carrying guns in government buildings.
- Strengthen existing school safety legislation.
- Standardize training for school resource officers and promote a single school safety tip line statewide.
- Support community violence intervention efforts.
- Educate the public on secure firearm storage and expand access to free gun locking devices. Michigan’s safe-storage law went into effect in February 2024 . It requires guns be kept in an enclosed, locked container that minors do not have a key or combination to open.
- Create clear guidelines for firearm relinquishment. This would create a process for individuals prohibited from owning firearms to turn those guns in to law enforcement agencies.
- Remove barriers for filing Extreme Risk Protection Orders and Personal Protection Orders and improve enforcement of orders.
- Strengthen victim support services to address the harm of domestic violence.
“Firearms are now the leading cause of death among children and teens in the United States – surpassing motor vehicle accidents, drownings and childhood cancers – which underscores the urgent need for action,” Bagdasarian said.
“This roadmap reflects the collective expertise and lived experiences of our task force and offers a clear, evidence-based path forward to protect Michigan families and save lives.”
Which, if any, of the Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force’s recommendations do you believe would reduce shooting deaths?
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