LANSING — State Reps. Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) and Mari Manoogian (D-Birmingham) introduced a package of bills today to protect families by compelling gun owners to securely lock and store weapons when not in use. 65 percent of unintentional child gun deaths occur within the family’s home or vehicle where firearms were inadequately stored. House Bills 4511 and 4512 would require firearms to be properly secured to prevent accidental injury or death.
“Far too often, we see another story about a family devastated by an unintentional shooting that never should have happened,” said Rep. Warren. “No one should have to suffer the tremendous pain of losing a child or loved one because a firearm was not secured. If we want to put a stop to these tragedies, we must be committed to seeing that every gun is safely and responsibly stored.”
House Bills 4513 and 4514 would also exempt gun safety devices like safes, lock boxes, trigger and barrel locks from sales and use tax to make them easier for gun owners to access.
"Our highest priority is the safety of the families in our communities,” said Rep. Manoogian. “Common-sense safety measures like these are our best chance to begin saving lives immediately.”
Studies show that states that have instituted similar measures have seen the prevalence of accidental shootings of children fall by as much as 23 percent in the first year of implementation.
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