The Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, in its first report, has released recommendations designed to address gun violence and reduce firearm-related deaths and injuries.
“Every Michigander deserves to feel safe when they are at work, school or just walking down the street,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “As a former prosecutor, I’m committed to public safety and proud of the $1.6 billion we’ve invested to keep people safe across six balanced, bipartisan state budgets.”
The task force recommendations, Whitmer said, “will build on our record investments and efforts to enact commonsense gun violence prevention laws like background checks, safe storage, extreme risk protection orders and stronger penalties for convicted domestic abusers.”
The Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force was created under Executive Order 2024-4, signed by Whitmer.
Members are charged with identifying root causes of gun violence, compiling and reporting relevant data, maximizing existing resources, soliciting perspectives from diverse community partners and recommending policies to save lives across the state.
Housed within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), task force membership reflects a wide range of community partners, including state department directors, medical experts, law enforcement professionals, tribal representatives, academic researchers and more.
Developed over the last five months, task force recommendations address firearms-related suicide, community violence, school safety, intimate partner violence and implementation of existing legislation.
Recommendations include the following:
• Develop funding mechanisms for the implementation of the task force recommendations.
• Create a workgroup to implement the recommendations that includes directors or their representatives from various governmental agencies and non-government entities
and organizations to increase the capacity and impact of firearm injury prevention programs and research.
• Improve access to out-of-home safe storage options for firearms for families with someone in crisis.
• Build a coordinated, community-driven collaboration (holistic ecosystem) and share best practices to support community violence intervention leaders and prevention
partners across the state.
• Create a standard definition of a school resource officer with ongoing training and education.
• Amend the law to ensure that safe surrender and relinquishment of an illegal firearm in Personal Protection Orders, Misdemeanor Convictions for Domestic Violence and Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) cases hold no legal liability unless connected with a crime.
• Standardize statewide law enforcement and court processes and protocols around ERPO and require all law enforcement agencies to have an ERPO protocol.
• Update existing legislation that requires relinquishment, removal and storage of firearms after the firearm possession ban.
• Clarify the process of temporary transfers of firearms when someone is in crisis or at risk, so that those engaged in these transfers are not in violation of the law.
During the next six months, the task force will refine recommendations, create an implementation and analysis roadmap as well as explore opportunities for collaboration and funding.
“Every Michigander deserves to feel safe when they are at work, school or just walking down the street,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “As a former prosecutor, I’m committed to public safety and proud of the $1.6 billion we’ve invested to keep people safe across six balanced, bipartisan state budgets.”
The task force recommendations, Whitmer said, “will build on our record investments and efforts to enact commonsense gun violence prevention laws like background checks, safe storage, extreme risk protection orders and stronger penalties for convicted domestic abusers.”
The Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force was created under Executive Order 2024-4, signed by Whitmer.
Members are charged with identifying root causes of gun violence, compiling and reporting relevant data, maximizing existing resources, soliciting perspectives from diverse community partners and recommending policies to save lives across the state.
Housed within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), task force membership reflects a wide range of community partners, including state department directors, medical experts, law enforcement professionals, tribal representatives, academic researchers and more.
Developed over the last five months, task force recommendations address firearms-related suicide, community violence, school safety, intimate partner violence and implementation of existing legislation.
Recommendations include the following:
• Develop funding mechanisms for the implementation of the task force recommendations.
• Create a workgroup to implement the recommendations that includes directors or their representatives from various governmental agencies and non-government entities
and organizations to increase the capacity and impact of firearm injury prevention programs and research.
• Improve access to out-of-home safe storage options for firearms for families with someone in crisis.
• Build a coordinated, community-driven collaboration (holistic ecosystem) and share best practices to support community violence intervention leaders and prevention
partners across the state.
• Create a standard definition of a school resource officer with ongoing training and education.
• Amend the law to ensure that safe surrender and relinquishment of an illegal firearm in Personal Protection Orders, Misdemeanor Convictions for Domestic Violence and Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) cases hold no legal liability unless connected with a crime.
• Standardize statewide law enforcement and court processes and protocols around ERPO and require all law enforcement agencies to have an ERPO protocol.
• Update existing legislation that requires relinquishment, removal and storage of firearms after the firearm possession ban.
• Clarify the process of temporary transfers of firearms when someone is in crisis or at risk, so that those engaged in these transfers are not in violation of the law.
During the next six months, the task force will refine recommendations, create an implementation and analysis roadmap as well as explore opportunities for collaboration and funding.
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