People gather for gun safety advocacy day
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – Conversations surrounding gun safety laws happened Tuesday at the State Capitol.
More than 100 advocates came out to let lawmakers know what legislation they feel should become law. The rally was put on by people with “Moms demand action” and “Students demand action.” They’re asking lawmakers to support 2 sets of bills.
One set of bills would make active polling places a gun-free zone. That includes early voting sites and Clerk’s offices.
For absentee ballot drop boxes, no guns would be allowed for 40 days before an election. That also covers 100 feet from those spots. Kazia Kelly, with Moms Demand Action, said this will help make the area safer.
“No more firearms so that we are, you know, not afraid to go out and vote,” Kelly said.
But Steve Dulan with the pro-gun group “Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners,” said criminals don’t care about the law.
“There are people who are simply not comfortable with law-abiding citizens being armed for the purposes of self-defense. And they’re doing anything and everything possible to restrict that right. And what happens is they’re empowering criminals,” Dulan said.
Another set of bills would require the state to send out a notice about safe firearm storage to parents with kids in school. A gun safety advocate at today’s rally, Maya Manuel, said it would help supplement the safe gun laws that went into effect earlier this year.
“You have to lock up a gun if you have a kid in your house. We’re not checking if you have your gun locked up, however, there has to be some sort of accountability when accidents happen,” Manuel said.
Dulan reacted to this set of bills. He said his organization promotes safe storage and gun safety education, but the people who should be listening the most are the ones who don’t.
“The sad truth is that the families that most need this education aren’t going to pay attention,” Dulan continued. “That’s where the tragic incidents come from. It’s from inside of a family that’s impervious to this education.”
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