Title
Resolution to Oppose House Bills 4020; 4021; 4022; 4026; 4027; 4028; 4029; 4194; 4200; 4770; 4771; 4772; 4773 and any Similar Bill which would Expand Michigan’s Concealed Carry Laws, Negatively Affect Public Safety by Making Guns Easier to Obtain and Carry, and Generally Make Michiganders More Susceptible to Gun Violence
Memorandum
This resolution was prepared at the request of the Council Policy Agenda Committee in response to the above-mentioned House Bills that would weaken the state’s gun policies related to concealed weapons. These bills represent a mixture of gun-related bill packages introduced by Republican members of the legislature that would make it easier to obtain and keep a concealed carry permit, and easier to obtain and carry firearms in the State of Michigan. None of these bills have been passed out of committee in the Michigan House. However, it is likely that there is sufficient support for these bills to make their way out of the legislature and onto Governor’s Whitmer’s desk.
This resolution will be provided to our lobbyist, state lawmakers, and Governor Whitmer if it is adopted by the City Council.
Staff
Prepared by: John Fournier, Assistant City Administrator
Reviewed by: Howard S. Lazarus, City Administrator
Approved by: Howard S. Lazarus, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, Members of the Michigan Legislature have introduced myriad pieces of legislation that would expand Michigan’s concealed carry laws, negatively affect public safety by making guns easier to obtain and carry, and generally make Michiganders more susceptible to gun violence;
Whereas, Research from the Harvard School of Public Health’s Injury Control Research Center shows that when more guns are present in a community, homicides go up;
Whereas, Research published in the medical journal BMJ this year showed that states with more permissive gun laws are more likely to experience mass shootings;
Whereas, According to a study in the journal Science, higher rates of gun sales per capita also correlate to a higher rate of accidental gun deaths among children;
Whereas, After the Assault Weapons Ban was allowed to expire in 2004 the number of mass shootings have increased by 183% and the number of deaths have increased by 239% annually; and
Whereas, These outcomes are undesirable and unwelcome in the City of Ann Arbor, the State of Michigan, and in our nation as a whole and we should do everything we can in power to cause gun deaths and gun violence to decrease in our communities;
RESOLVED, That the City of Ann Arbor opposes HBs 4020; 4021; 4022; 4026; 4027; 4028; 4029; 4194; 4200; 4770; 4771; 4772; 4773 and any similar bill which would expand Michigan’s concealed carry laws, negatively affect public safety by making guns easier to obtain and carry, and generally make Michiganders more susceptible to gun violence; and
RESOLVED, That the City Council of the City of Ann Arbor directs the City Administrator to actively engage with our state elected officials to ensure that these bills or any similar bills are not enacted in the State of Michigan now or in the future.
Sponsored by: Council Legislative Policy Agenda Committee: Councilmembers Eaton, Griswold, Hayner, Lumm, and Smith
Additional Sponsors: Mayor Taylor and Councilmembers Ramlawi and Bannister