Michigan Governor Signs New Gun Control Measures Into Law
Jose Nino
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Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently signed measures that have broadened state gun control measures for violent and non-violent offenses.
The bills in question — House Bill 4945, Senate Bill 471, and Senate Bill 528 — received Whitmer’s signature on November 20, 2023. These laws will update Michigan’s criminal sentencing guidelines to guarantee that individuals convicted of offenses connected to domestic violence, which included misdemeanors, are banned from purchasing or possessing firearms and ammunition for 8 years after their prison sentence has been completed. “Keeping Michiganders – especially young women – safe and healthy is a top priority, and these bills will take long overdue steps to protect individuals from abuse,” Whitmer declared in a press release. “As a former prosecutor and as governor, I am proud to sign this bipartisan legislation to prevent abusers from accessing firearms.”
These new gun control measures represent the latest set of measures that the Michigan state government has pushed since Democrats assumed unified control of the Michigan state government for the first time in almost 40 years. The party’s elected officials have since exploited the narrow majorities they enjoy in the State House (56-54) and State Senate (20-18) after a strong performance in the 2022 midterm elections. Since then, Michigan lawmakers have passed measures such as universal background checks, gun storage mandates, and a red flag gun confiscation order law over the last year.
The changes to Michigan’s laws for gun violations are numerous. Senate Bill 471 changes the state government’s definition of a felony to include “a violation of a law of this state, or of another state, or of the United States that is punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.” This definition aligns with the standard that prohibits people from possessing guns as outlined by federal law.
However, the updated definition is more encompassing than the state’s prior definition, which was only applicable for crimes punishable by imprisonment for four years or greater. Michigan automatically strips the gun rights of an individual convicted of felonies for a minimum of three years after their sentence is completes and up to five years for individuals convicted of “specified felonies,” which generally involve the use of force.
In lowering the threshold that activates disarmament, the law will now cover dozens of new non-violent and misdemeanor offenses that will temporarily strip a person of their right to bear arms.
This latest expansion of gun control has naturally drawn criticism from Republicans.
“The Democrats drew this bill as broadly as possible to take gun rights away from as many people as possible, and then claimed it was all about domestic violence perpetrators,” State Representative Graham Filler said to The Detroit News.
Michigan is a state that’s not necessarily pro-gun, but it’s not a full-blown anti-gun bastion either. It’s ranked in 25th place according to Guns & Ammo magazine’s best states for gun owners rankings. However, with anti-gun Democrats now holding a trifecta in the state legislature, more gun control will likely become the norm if there isn’t pushback.
We must always remember that the greatest threat to our liberties is a complacent mindset with respect to the defense of our liberties. Active vigilance is key for preserving our freedoms.
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