GUN SAFETY

From Oxford High School and the Brooklands Splashpad to Michigan State University, gun violence is not a distant headline: it is a lived reality for many Michigan families. It seems every other month a new venue is struck from the list of “safe spaces” – spaces where Americans can go and not worry about whether they will be safe. As someone who grew up in the era of mass shooting drills at school, I know how traumatizing it is to watch fellow students fleeing their school buildings on television. Children should be spending their time learning their ABCs, and not how to “hide, quiet, freeze.” 

In recent years, Michigan has taken meaningful steps forward: expanding background checks, enacting safe storage requirements, and establishing extreme risk protection orders. Now the work shifts from passing laws to making them work – and ensuring their enforcement.

As your state senator, I will introduce, support, and fight for legislation that uses a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to reducing gun violence that focuses on enforcement, prevention, and closing remaining loopholes.

So here’s my plan:

Implement and Enforce Universal Background Checks

Michigan now requires background checks for all firearm purchases. The priority is ensuring these laws are consistently enforced and function as intended.

I will:

• Fund enforcement efforts to ensure compliance with universal background check requirements

• Fight to crack down on straw purchasing and illegal firearm trafficking

• Improve real-time reporting into background check systems

• Strengthen oversight of firearm dealers and private sales

Passing the law was step one. Making it effective is step two.

Strengthen and Responsibly Use Extreme Risk Protection Orders

Michigan’s Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) law allows courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who pose a risk to themselves or others. This tool can save lives—but only if it is used properly.

I will:

• Fund training for law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges on ERPO implementation

• Ensure strong due process protections and clear evidentiary standards

• Establish penalties for false or malicious filings

• Require transparent annual reporting on ERPO usage and outcomes

Protect Children Through Safe Storage Enforcement

Michigan law now requires safe storage of firearms when minors are present. We must ensure families understand and follow this law.

I will:

• Propose a statewide public education campaign on safe storage requirements

• Work to provide individual tax incentives or subsidies for gun safes and locking devices

• Clarify legal accountability standards to ensure consistent enforcement

Preventing access is one of the most effective ways to reduce accidental shootings and youth suicides.

Close the Domestic Violence Loopholes

Firearms significantly increase the lethality of domestic violence situations. Michigan law restricts access for certain offenders—but enforcement remains inconsistent.

I will:

• Fight to require verified firearm surrender when individuals become prohibited possessors

• Work to create systems to track compliance with court-ordered firearm relinquishment

• Strengthen coordination between courts, law enforcement, and background check systems

Address High-Risk Weapons Within Constitutional Limits

Weapons designed for rapid, high-volume harm pose unique risks in mass casualty events. Any policy in this space must be both effective and legally durable.

I support:

• Restrictions on high-capacity magazines

• Strong regulation of military-style firearms consistent with constitutional standards

• Enhanced licensing, training, and safe handling requirements for high-risk weapons

Establish a Consistent Minimum Purchase Age

Michigan law should reflect clear, consistent standards.

I support:

• Raising the minimum purchase age for all firearms to 21, in line with public safety research and constitutional requirements

Crack Down on Ghost Guns and Untraceable FirearmS

Unserialized firearms, often assembled from kits or produced via 3D printing, undermine every other gun law on the books.

I will:

• Vote to ban the sale and possession of unserialized firearm components

• Require serialization of key parts used to assemble firearms

• Support enforcement efforts targeting illegal manufacturing and distribution

Modernize Gun Violence Data and Enforcement

Effective policy depends on accurate data and coordinated enforcement.

I will:

• Work to improve firearm tracing and data-sharing with federal and local partners

• Establish a statewide gun violence data dashboard

• Invest in investigative resources to combat illegal gun trafficking

Invest in Prevention and Community Safety

Reducing gun violence requires more than regulation—it requires prevention.

I will:

• Fund community-based violence intervention programs

• Support hospital-based violence prevention initiatives

• Expand access to mental health crisis response services

Review Michigan’s Stand Your Ground Law

Michigan should regularly evaluate the real-world impact of its laws.

I will:

• Encourage the governor to establish an independent, bipartisan commission to study the effects of Stand Your Ground on public safety, legal outcomes, and racial disparities

• Use evidence – not ideology – to guide my policy decisions

A Practical Path Forward

Gun safety is not about slogans. It’s about outcomes. Michigan has made progress, but laws on paper are only as effective as their implementation.

My approach is simple:

• Make existing laws work

• Close dangerous gaps

• Invest in prevention

• Protect rights while prioritizing safety

We can reduce gun violence while respecting responsible gun ownership, and we can do it with seriousness, precision, and accountability.

For more information on Michigan gun laws, please visit the Gifford Law Center here.

Gun locks can be picked up for free at a local law enforcement office, courtesy of both Oakland and Macomb Counties and the State Department of Health and Human Services.