Legislation to diminish secondary gun market
LANSING, Mich., Dec. 11, 2024 — State Rep. Felicia Brabec’s (D-Pittsfield Township) two bills were voted out of the Military, Veterans and Homeland Security Committee yesterday as part of a gun buyback reform package. In December 2023, it was reported that some buyback programs created secondary gun markets by selling some firearm parts rather than destroying all of them. This package, House Bills 6144, 6145 and 6146, addresses that loophole by requiring Michigan law enforcement to destroy all parts of the collected or forfeited firearms.
“I was appalled to find out that across the nation, buyback programs were turning around and giving firearms a second chance,” said Brabec, chair of the Michigan Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention Caucus and sponsor of HBs 6144 and 6145. “This is simply unacceptable. I’ve been working hard to get this legislation ready — we must continue enacting policies to protect our communities, our kids and their futures. ”
Gun buyback programs allow Michiganders to turn their guns in, no questions asked. After the report, the Michigan State Police implemented a department-wide protocol to destroy bought or confiscated firearms, rather than engage in the secondary market. This legislation safeguards those protections and makes sure that this protocol is continued throughout the state.
“The legislation furthers the original buyback program’s intentions and addresses unforeseen consequences in its application,” Brabec continued. “It is crucial that we make this law. Clear guidelines can reduce gun violence and save lives. Let’s keep working for a safer Michigan.”