Another NRA Defeat: Gun-Lobby Backed Bills Fail in Michigan Legislature

LANSING, Mich. — Everytown for Gun Safety and the Michigan chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America today released the following statement applauding the defeat of two dangerous, gun lobby-backed gun bills in the Michigan legislature, which adjourned late last night.

This session, volunteers with the Michigan chapter of Moms Demand Action made nearly 1500 calls, sent nearly 10,000 emails to lawmakers’ offices and testified at the Capitol, urging legislators to oppose the bills.

This year, Everytown led campaigns to defeat dangerous NRA-backed gun proposals in states across the country and in fact – more than 100 gun lobby priority bills were defeated or failed to advance this past legislative session including the bills below in Michigan:

• House Bill 4795, which would have given the NRA and other out-of-state special interest groups the power to sue local governments for enforcing reasonable gun laws, and entitled them to large payouts at Michigan taxpayers’ expense. The bill would have also forced local officials, including police officers, to risk thousands of dollars in fines for protecting Michigan communities and have a dangerous chilling effect on enforcement of local public safety laws.
  
• Senate Bill 442, which would have allowed people to bring hidden, loaded handguns into K-12 schools, college dorms and classrooms, bars, day care centers, sports arenas, places of worship, certain entertainment facilities and hospitals.

“As the state legislature closed this week, we applaud our lawmakers for standing up for public safety and keeping dangerous gun bills that would have put Michigan families and communities at risk from passing. Looking ahead to 2017, the importance of our work could not be clearer. Our movement is growing by the day and we are energized to combat the gun lobby and do everything we can to ensure that our families, communities and cities are safe from all forms of gun violence here in Michigan.”