Laws regarding the storage of guns in Michigan appear likely to change after the legislature acted on a series of bills this week. The reforms include requiring a firearm to be stored in a lock box or container if accessible by a minor and outlines the penalties for a gun owner who doesn’t comply. Furthermore, a gun owner could be charged if a minor were to obtain a firearm, which wasn’t properly secured, and used it to injure themselves or others.
Under the bill, a federally licensed firearm dealer and the Department of Health and Human Services must distribute information on the changes to storage laws in Michigan. To ease the burden of purchasing storage equipment, the legislation removes the sales and use taxes on safes, lock boxes, and trigger and barrel locks through the end of 2024.
If passed and signed by the governor, Michigan would join 24 other states that have passed storage laws. The legislation passed included House and Senate bills. The House bills were referred to the Senate for consideration, while the Senate bills will be sent to Governor Gretchen Whitmer for her consideration.
