Bill to Disarm Domestic Violence Becomes Law in Michigan
GIFFORDS worked closely with legislators to pass the bill
Washington DC — Today, GIFFORDS, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, applauded Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer for signing into law Senate Bill 471, which restricts people who are convicted of domestic violence–related misdemeanors from accessing firearms. GIFFORDS worked closely with legislators to pass the bill.
Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords:
“Last week I stood on the steps of the Supreme Court urging the justices to do what’s commonsense: prohibit people with domestic violence restraining orders from having firearms. We know that guns in hands of someone who has committed domestic abuse can quickly become deadly. I applaud Governor Whitmer, Senator Sue Shink, Senator Stephanie Chang, and State Representative Amos O’Neal for leading this effort to protect Michiganders from domestic violence. This law will undoubtedly save lives.”
Michigan’s new law extends the ban from accessing firearms from five years to eight years for people who have committed specific felonies that involve threats and physical harm. It also now includes misdemeanors that involve domestic violence.
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