Call to Action: Shut these bills down!

Link to the January 2022 Michigan Libertarian

In recent days, matching bills have been introduced in both the state house and senate, which are intended to undermine our inherent right to self-defense, as guaranteed under the Michigan and US Constitutions.

Bills Force Ten Round Limit on Gun Owners

The proposed bills would criminalize the sale and possession of magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition, starting in 2023.

HB 5628 and SB 785 are identical bills, introduced on December 9, 2021, pretending to be in response to the school shooting atOxford High School. In reality, this was opportunistic politicking in the aftermath of a tragic event. In conjunction with these bills, HB 5627 and SB 786 have been introduced to add these bills to the index of the criminal code.

A Stealth Riffle Registration Scheme

The infringements to the United States Constitution are obvious to anyone who understands the concept of “shall not be infringed”. This is something that Libertarians should obviously oppose. There are other elements of the bills that are less obvious but should also concern us. One of those elements is the de facto registration of existing magazines, disguised as an exception under the law:

A person may continue to possess a magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition that the person legally possessed before the effective date of the amendatory act that added this section if that person reports possession of the magazine to the person’s local law enforcement agency.

Already, pistol owners in Michigan are subject to this sort of mandate, but this would extend that mandate to many rifle owners as well. The other important element to consider is the impact this has on the inaction of existing magazine owners. According to this bill, anyone who possesses a normal capacity magazine after January 1, 2023, is guilty of a misdemeanor. Furthermore, this includes previous owners of these tools unless they notify law enforcement. If an owner does not notify law enforcement, they are instantly guilty of a misdemeanor, simply for DOING NOTHING.

What We Can Do To Stop These Bills

We cannot stand silent while the legislature seeks to infringe our rights and makes criminals out of everyday people.

This is a CALL TO ACTION. Please call and email the chairs of the respective committees in the House and Senate, and request that they let these bills die by refusing to introduce them to the committees.

In the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, please contact:

Chair, Roger Victory (517) 373-6920, SenRVictory@senate.michigan.gov

Other committee members:

Curt VanderWall (517) 373-1725, SenCVanderwall@senate.michigan.gov

Tom Barrett (517) 373-3447, SenTBarrett@senate.michigan.gov

Ruth Johnson (517) 373-1636, SenRJohnson@senate.michigan.gov

Jim Runestad (517) 373-1758, SenJRunestad@senate.michigan.gov

Doug Wozniak (517) 373-7670, SenDWozniak@senate.michigan.gov

Stephanie Chang (517)-373-7346, SenSChang@senate.michigan.gov

Jeff Irwin (517)-373-2406,
SenJIrwin@senate.michigan.gov

In the House Military, Veterans and Homeland Security Committee, please contact:

Chair, Beau LaFave (517) 373-0156,
BeauLaFave@house.mi.gov