EDITOR :

This letter is for all (yes… all) Michigan firearms owners. House Bills (passed by both House and Senate) 4138, 42, 43 go into effect February 13. Of course, the stated rationale is “safety for children”… again.

Some highlights: Storage – New Law Requires… their firearms either stored in a locked box or locked container or kept unloaded and locked with a trigger lock; Purchase or Transfer… obtain a license before they can purchase a rifle or long gun, and means that background checks will be required for all gun purchases. Those who already own rifles will not need a background check — but anyone who inherits them will need to get licensed… family members can also no longer give a long gun to another family member unless the person receiving the gun first gets a background check. “Red Flag Laws” …persons can… petition a court to have a person’s firearms temporarily removed from their possession, additionally… bar those convicted of domestic violence from buying, owning, or transporting a gun for a period of eight years after their sentence.

“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 said.

I would direct you to these bills for more complete information. You need to be aware that violation of some of these rules are a felony, and with conviction comes the permanent loss of all (yes, all) your guns.

I have tried to find any studies, statistics or other data that indicate that any of these laws have been shown to prevent crimes beyond the laws already in effect – enforcement and adjudication in big cities in Michigan show the lack of effectiveness of any of these laws. Note: it cannot be shown that any gun law has prevented the crime for which it has been written, and so will be the case with these.

Legal purchase and/or transfer in obeyance of these laws will be further complicated by the small number of FFL licenses and the lengthy and costly addition of more. Costs of transfer via ffl currently run from $40/gun and up, possible loss of ffl via minor paperwork errors increase.

There is nothing “safe” about these laws, and they only serve to turn honest and respectable gun owners into possible felons. No, it can’t be administered easily, but it can be used selectively to make a political point.

You may win a case on appeal, but you will go through thousands of dollars to do so. Like so many “illicit” transactions, gun transfers will go black-market and underground, further delegitimizing what used to be an honest transaction between friends and family.

Finally, do you honestly, honestly think any criminal will comply with these laws (haven’t so far) or prevent the death (isn’t that what this is supposed to be about?) of anyone.

Next to come will be the expansion of “gun-free” zones in which more innocents will be slaughtered.

Michael A. Glass

Nahma