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AG Nessel Joins Legislators to Reaffirm Support for Secure Firearm Storage

LANSING - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined Sen. Rosemary Bayer (D-Beverly Hills), Rep. Mari Manoogian (D-Birmingham), and other safety advocates at a press conference this afternoon to urge legislative action on secure firearm storage bills. 

The bills - often referred to as safe storage legislation - have not moved since they were introduced in June. 

"It remains unconscionable that our gun laws do not include commonsense safety measures. Thoughts and prayers ultimately fall short. We must act properly to address gun violence in our schools, which is why I wholeheartedly support safe storage legislation," Nessel said. "We fail as leaders if our response to the tragedy in Oxford is more of the status quo. I will continue to work with our partners in the legislature to get this done - for our kids, for our educators and for our communities." 

Senate Bill 550, introduced by Sen. Bayer, and House Bill 5066, introduced by Rep. Felicia Brabec (D-Ann Arbor) would require guns to be stored safely in order to prevent injury, and provide criminal penalties if failure to safely store a gun results in injury or death. Specifically, guns would have to be kept in a secure lock box, in a location a reasonable person would believe is secure, or securely locked with a locking device. Senate Bill 553, sponsored by Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak), and House Bill 5069, sponsored by Rep. Manoogian, would make complementary changes to the sentencing guidelines to reflect changes created by the main bills. 

Senate Bills 551 and 552, sponsored by Sens. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) and Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), respectively, and House Bills 5067 and 5068, sponsored by Reps. Brabec and Manoogian, respectively, would exempt the sales and use tax for gun safety devices like safes, lock boxes, and trigger and barrel locks. 

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