Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday signed gun violence prevention bills establishing extreme risk protection orders in Michigan, ensuring police officers, health care professionals, and family members concerned about someone who may harm themselves or others can seek a court order to temporarily confiscate their firearms. At the bill signing, Whitmer was joined by bill sponsors, legislators, public safety advocates, and law enforcement officials.
“No Michigander should fear going to school, work, the grocery store, or their own home because of gun violence,” Whitmer said in a release. “Extreme risk protection orders have been proven to reduce suicides,save lives, and keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and violent criminals. I am proud to sign this legislation to keep Michiganders safe, and 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 who works hard to build safe communities where everyone can thrive. Only thoughts and prayers aren’t enough. Let’s keep taking commonsense action to reduce gun violence and keep families and communities safe.”
“Countless families across Michigan are devastated by the epidemic of gun violence,” said state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak. “Today, we take action to save lives, protect kids, families, and communities, and end gun violence. The data is clear that extreme risk protection orders are a commonsense, effective tool to keep guns out of the hands of those who may hurt themselves or others and are already employed by 19 states across the country. Let’s celebrate and be thankful for the progress we’ve made—the result of nearly a decade of work—and continue working together to save lives here in Michigan.”
House Bill 4146, sponsored by state Representative Kelly Breen (D-Novi), prohibits an individual who was subject to an extreme risk protection order from qualifying for a pistol license and a concealed pistol license.
House Bill 4147, sponsored by state Representative Julie Brixie (D-Okemos), amends the Revised Judicature Act to create specified exemptions when processing or filing a civil action for the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act.
House Bill 4148, sponsored by State Representative Stephanie A. Young (D-Detroit) amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to add the felonies proposed in Senate Bill 83 to the Code’s sentencing guidelines.
Investing in public safety
As a former prosecutor, Whitmer has invested $1 billion in public safety. The governor’s budget from this year includes $36.6 million in funding specifically dedicated for local public safety for the first time in our state’s history, and revenue sharing with local governments is up 29% over the governor’s tenure, helping communities invest in public safety and first responders.
The governor launched Operation Safe Neighborhoods, a statewide crackdown on crime aimed at reducing gun violence by getting illegal guns out of communities and out of the hands of people who cannot legally be in possession of a gun due to prior criminal history. Operation Safe Neighborhoods has recovered almost 400 illegal guns in less than a year. Last month, the governor signed a package of commonsense gun safety bills establishing universal background checks for all firearm purchases and safe storage requirements.
