By Nick Smith
Gongwer News Service
A task force focused on proposed firearm policy changes issued a report on Monday containing dozens of recommendations, including bans on ghost guns and assault weapons.
Top areas of focus in the second report from the Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force include waiting periods and background checks, a ban on “ghost guns,” improving school safety, strengthening existing “red flag” and safe storage of firearms laws and expanding prohibitions on assault weapons.
In its initial report, the task force highlighted legislative actions already taken, including the passage of universal background checks, requirements for the safe storage of firearms, the passage of red flag laws to temporarily take away a person’s firearms if they may be a danger to themselves or others, and restrictions for those convicted of domestic violence offenses.
The report released Monday is a follow-up to the recommendations made in its April 2025 report, amending its recommendations and providing more information on implementation.
“We recognize that some of these recommendations may be challenging to implement,” Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian said in the report’s introduction. “But we offer them in the spirit of collaboration, innovation and a shared vision: a Michigan free from the threat of gun violence.”
Monday’s report included several new recommendations, including requiring waiting periods for all firearm purchases; increasing the minimum age for firearms purchases to 21; banning the possession of large capacity magazines; requiring gun dealer licensing, record keeping and state-level inspections; banning so-called “ghost guns”; banning the carry of firearms in all government buildings; banning the sale or transfer of assault weapons and a ban on all automatic conversion devices.
“This week, we mark the four-year anniversary of the shooting at Oxford High School, where we lost four precious lives,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “While we’ve made significant progress since then, gun violence remains an epidemic, with over 11,000 preventable deaths and injuries just this year. We all want to keep Michiganders safe. These recommendations will help us do exactly that. Together, let’s keep getting it done and save lives.”
Other recommendations came with suggestions on how to pursue implementation.
These included providing training on the safe storage of firearms and suicide prevention initiatives for community groups. The report suggested more be done to expand existing partnership efforts and provide technical assistance regarding firearm suicide prevention, including for providers of elder care services. Improvements to the collection of data on firearm suicides were also recommended.
School safety was a top priority as well.
The task force recommended that sustained state funding be provided for comprehensive school safety and mental health resources with a focus on prevention.
“Consistent, long-term funding is critical for schools to be able to prioritize safety and well-being, especially violence prevention efforts, which take multi-year efforts,” the report said.
For implementation, the report suggested that a mechanism be developed for schools to report to the Department of Education on funding use and establish enforcement processes. Opportunities for supplementary grant funding should also be considered, the report said.
The reporting of statewide school safety data should be improved, the report said, and existing school safety laws should be reviewed to add non-compliance actions outlining consequences for not following existing laws.
This can be accomplished by establishing a compliance system and mandating that schools must report school safety data.
Having a standard definition of a school resource officer was also recommended along with set training and education standards. The task force suggested the state work with the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards to approve existing and new training for school resource officers.
Another recommendation was the creation of an online one-stop hub for schools to access school safety resources and best practices.
For background checks, the report recommended that the state clarify the process of temporary firearm transfers to ensure those involved in the transfer are not in violation of the law. It also recommended that state data reporting systems be updated so data on restraining orders can be placed into background check systems.
The task force also recommended closing the existing concealed pistol license loophole which allows individuals to purchase a firearm without a background check or permit. This was suggested to be addressed legislatively to require license purchases and background checks regardless of whether a person holds a CPL.
Task force members also issued recommendations on addressing firearm-related intimate partner violence.
One recommendation was to amend existing laws to ensure that the safe surrender of an illegal firearm in personal protection orders, misdemeanor convictions for domestic violence and extreme risk protection order cases have no legal liability unless connected with a crime.
A further recommendation was to enact clear guidelines for firearm relinquishment for law enforcement and judicial personnel to use in cases where an individual is legally restricted from access to firearms.
To achieve this, it was suggested that safe surrender acceptance procedures be standardized as well as secure storage and disposal protocols along with documentation reporting requirements for law enforcement.
It was further suggested to mandate documentation of surrender and background check verification and to create chain of custody procedures.
Additionally, the report recommended that local law enforcement be incentivized to be responsible for personal protection order and extreme risk protection order service at no cost to victims while improving enforcement of the orders. A Senate committee has taken testimony on legislation dealing with PPOs at no cost to victims, which is waiting on movement (See Gongwer Michigan Report, October 30, 2025).
As to the safe storage of firearms, the task force recommended creating a statewide education campaign on the safe storage of firearms, establishing measures to evaluate the safe storage law and support continued access to free firearm locking devices.
Steve Dulan, an attorney who teaches firearms law, who serves on the board of directors of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners and an adjunct professor at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, said Monday the report is a rehash of past failed gun control efforts.
“Most of these proposals are only going to affect law-abiding citizens,” Dulan said.
He said waiting periods for firearm purchases had a negative effect on public safety when tried in the 1970s and 1980s, while ghost guns are not possible to stop. Further, he said most gun owners already safely store their firearms.
Dulan said simply trying to ban something will not make it go away, and those committing crimes will still be able to obtain firearms.
Under the current political makeup of Lansing, he expected there may be some movement on parts of the study’s recommendations in the Senate, but he could not see anything advancing in the House.
End Gun Violence Michigan Executive Director Ryan Bates in a statement called the work and recommendations in the report a strong step forward in reducing firearm violence in the state.
“Now, it is up to the Legislature to turn these recommendations into realities through legislation and funding,” Bates said. “The Task Force’s comprehensive blueprint is just a beginning. We hope that the Legislature and governor allow the Task Force to continue their work and implement this vision.”
Gongwer News Service
A task force focused on proposed firearm policy changes issued a report on Monday containing dozens of recommendations, including bans on ghost guns and assault weapons.
Top areas of focus in the second report from the Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force include waiting periods and background checks, a ban on “ghost guns,” improving school safety, strengthening existing “red flag” and safe storage of firearms laws and expanding prohibitions on assault weapons.
In its initial report, the task force highlighted legislative actions already taken, including the passage of universal background checks, requirements for the safe storage of firearms, the passage of red flag laws to temporarily take away a person’s firearms if they may be a danger to themselves or others, and restrictions for those convicted of domestic violence offenses.
The report released Monday is a follow-up to the recommendations made in its April 2025 report, amending its recommendations and providing more information on implementation.
“We recognize that some of these recommendations may be challenging to implement,” Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian said in the report’s introduction. “But we offer them in the spirit of collaboration, innovation and a shared vision: a Michigan free from the threat of gun violence.”
Monday’s report included several new recommendations, including requiring waiting periods for all firearm purchases; increasing the minimum age for firearms purchases to 21; banning the possession of large capacity magazines; requiring gun dealer licensing, record keeping and state-level inspections; banning so-called “ghost guns”; banning the carry of firearms in all government buildings; banning the sale or transfer of assault weapons and a ban on all automatic conversion devices.
“This week, we mark the four-year anniversary of the shooting at Oxford High School, where we lost four precious lives,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “While we’ve made significant progress since then, gun violence remains an epidemic, with over 11,000 preventable deaths and injuries just this year. We all want to keep Michiganders safe. These recommendations will help us do exactly that. Together, let’s keep getting it done and save lives.”
Other recommendations came with suggestions on how to pursue implementation.
These included providing training on the safe storage of firearms and suicide prevention initiatives for community groups. The report suggested more be done to expand existing partnership efforts and provide technical assistance regarding firearm suicide prevention, including for providers of elder care services. Improvements to the collection of data on firearm suicides were also recommended.
School safety was a top priority as well.
The task force recommended that sustained state funding be provided for comprehensive school safety and mental health resources with a focus on prevention.
“Consistent, long-term funding is critical for schools to be able to prioritize safety and well-being, especially violence prevention efforts, which take multi-year efforts,” the report said.
For implementation, the report suggested that a mechanism be developed for schools to report to the Department of Education on funding use and establish enforcement processes. Opportunities for supplementary grant funding should also be considered, the report said.
The reporting of statewide school safety data should be improved, the report said, and existing school safety laws should be reviewed to add non-compliance actions outlining consequences for not following existing laws.
This can be accomplished by establishing a compliance system and mandating that schools must report school safety data.
Having a standard definition of a school resource officer was also recommended along with set training and education standards. The task force suggested the state work with the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards to approve existing and new training for school resource officers.
Another recommendation was the creation of an online one-stop hub for schools to access school safety resources and best practices.
For background checks, the report recommended that the state clarify the process of temporary firearm transfers to ensure those involved in the transfer are not in violation of the law. It also recommended that state data reporting systems be updated so data on restraining orders can be placed into background check systems.
The task force also recommended closing the existing concealed pistol license loophole which allows individuals to purchase a firearm without a background check or permit. This was suggested to be addressed legislatively to require license purchases and background checks regardless of whether a person holds a CPL.
Task force members also issued recommendations on addressing firearm-related intimate partner violence.
One recommendation was to amend existing laws to ensure that the safe surrender of an illegal firearm in personal protection orders, misdemeanor convictions for domestic violence and extreme risk protection order cases have no legal liability unless connected with a crime.
A further recommendation was to enact clear guidelines for firearm relinquishment for law enforcement and judicial personnel to use in cases where an individual is legally restricted from access to firearms.
To achieve this, it was suggested that safe surrender acceptance procedures be standardized as well as secure storage and disposal protocols along with documentation reporting requirements for law enforcement.
It was further suggested to mandate documentation of surrender and background check verification and to create chain of custody procedures.
Additionally, the report recommended that local law enforcement be incentivized to be responsible for personal protection order and extreme risk protection order service at no cost to victims while improving enforcement of the orders. A Senate committee has taken testimony on legislation dealing with PPOs at no cost to victims, which is waiting on movement (See Gongwer Michigan Report, October 30, 2025).
As to the safe storage of firearms, the task force recommended creating a statewide education campaign on the safe storage of firearms, establishing measures to evaluate the safe storage law and support continued access to free firearm locking devices.
Steve Dulan, an attorney who teaches firearms law, who serves on the board of directors of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners and an adjunct professor at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School, said Monday the report is a rehash of past failed gun control efforts.
“Most of these proposals are only going to affect law-abiding citizens,” Dulan said.
He said waiting periods for firearm purchases had a negative effect on public safety when tried in the 1970s and 1980s, while ghost guns are not possible to stop. Further, he said most gun owners already safely store their firearms.
Dulan said simply trying to ban something will not make it go away, and those committing crimes will still be able to obtain firearms.
Under the current political makeup of Lansing, he expected there may be some movement on parts of the study’s recommendations in the Senate, but he could not see anything advancing in the House.
End Gun Violence Michigan Executive Director Ryan Bates in a statement called the work and recommendations in the report a strong step forward in reducing firearm violence in the state.
“Now, it is up to the Legislature to turn these recommendations into realities through legislation and funding,” Bates said. “The Task Force’s comprehensive blueprint is just a beginning. We hope that the Legislature and governor allow the Task Force to continue their work and implement this vision.”
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
https://www.legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
