Gun violence is at the forefront of every election, political and legal conversation, and provisions relative to gun safety find their way into domestic relations orders at times. Michigan recently enacted the secure storage law, Public Act 17 of 2023, effective February 13, 2024, aimed at reducing unintentional gun deaths and injuries.
According to the CDC, there were more than 48,000 firearm related deaths in the United States in 2022, and firearm injuries were in the top five leading causes of death for individuals aged 1 to 44, and the greatest cause of death for those aged 1 to 19.
To
help combat this, the new law requires that an individual in control of the premises
they are on, who leaves a firearm unattended where he’s aware a minor is or
likely to be present, must store it in a locked box, or keep it unloaded and locked
with a locking device rendering it inoperable. If you are on someone else’s
property, you can also store the firearm in your vehicle in a locked box, or
keep it unloaded with a locking device. You must lock your vehicle.
Penalties
for violations of the law increase depending on what happens with the weapon
after a minor obtains it. Like most laws, there are exceptions, such as minors
who have the firearm with their guardian’s permission, use it for work, farming
or target practice.
Obligations
are also set forth for federally licensed firearms dealers who sell in the
state of Michigan. If any of this law applies to you or your clients, read the
entire statute carefully to ensure compliance.
Individuals
can request free gun safety kits through Project ChildSafe by going to its website.
After filling in the desired location, a list of participating law enforcement departments
will display. Gun safety is imperative to saving lives, and compliance with the
new law is extremely important in meeting that goal.
*Project ChildSafe link: Get A Safety Kit – Project Childsafe
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