FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2025 Contact: [email protected]
Governor Whitmer Signs Bills to Protect Students, Increase School Safety Additionally, the governor issued an executive order to bolster new school safety commission
LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed 19 commonsense, bipartisan bills to make Michigan schools, homes, and communities safer. The governor also signed an executive order to ensure the diverse needs of Michigan’s students and educators are represented on the new School Safety and Mental Health Commission.
“Michiganders should feel safe whether they’re watching a movie at home or heading into the classroom,” said Governor Whitmer. “That’s why I’m proud to sign these 19 commonsense bills that will keep Michigan families and neighborhoods safe from gun violence and other violent crimes. Each of these bills build on my administration’s commitment to protecting Michiganders and their families. Since I took office, we’ve invested over $1.6 billion into public safety programs across six balanced, bipartisan budgets, ensuring Michiganders can feel safe no matter where they are. Together, let’s keep making a real difference in people’s lives.”
“Keeping Michiganders and our communities safe is our top priority,” said Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “That’s why the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration has remained committed to bolstering public safety across our communities. From ensuring Michigan families know the proper way to store their guns to keeping illegal firearms stay off the streets, these bills will save lives and help us build a safer Michigan for everyone.”
House Bills 5450 and 5451, sponsored by state Representatives Sharon MacDonell (D-Troy) and Julie Brixie (D-Okemos), will help protect our kids from gun violence by requiring information developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, on the safe storage of firearms, be distributed to parents of students. Currently, an estimated 150,000 Michigan children live in homes that have an unsecured firearm. Nationally, more than 70% of school shootings involve a firearm that is owned by a parent or close family member and taken by the shooter. By distributing information on the safe storage law to students and their families, more Michiganders will be aware of the law and can take actions to abide by this guidance. This will help keep more Michiganders and their children safe from gun violence at home, school, or anywhere else.
“Michigan has seen far too many school shootings. Last term, Democrats passed a number of monumental laws that help curb gun violence throughout the state. Our kids, teachers and families deserve safety and security at home and in their classrooms,” said state Representative Sharon MacDonell (D-Troy). “With this bill becoming law, Michigan schools will now provide helpful resources on Michigan’s new firearm safety measures — which continue efforts to keep our children and communities safe from reckless firearms use.”
“Firearm-related incidents have plagued our communities for too long,” said state Representative Julie Brixie (D-Meridian Township). “These new safe storage education laws will help educate Michigan families on how to properly exercise their rights as a firearm owner by safely storing their weapons and keeping them out of the hands of children. It’s on all of us to work together to prevent gun violence and save lives. One firearm-related incident is too many.”
“The Michigan Parent Alliance for Safe Schools appreciates the passing of these bills by Governor Whitmer and the Michigan Legislature,” said Erin Stepek, Representative for Michigan Parent Alliance for Safe Schools. “As a teacher and parent, I have seen the tragedy of firearm accidents and teen suicides over the years, and we need to do everything we can as a society to help prevent these deaths. Having schools distribute information on safe firearm storage and laws along with the other safety information they already routinely send out is a simple measure that will have lasting impact.”
“Governor Whitmer is a proven gun sense champion who understands that common-sense laws like the ones she just signed will make Michigan safer, and Everytown is incredibly grateful for her leadership,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “While the balance of power in Lansing will shift in the next session, one thing won’t change: Everytown’s commitment to working with Governor Whitmer and our statehouse allies to pass common-sense measures to keep guns out of the wrong hands.”
“Michigan’s gun sense trifecta has worked hand in hand with our movement to pass lifesaving gun safety laws up until the last possible moment,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action. “Although Lansing’s incoming political landscape will pose new challenges for us, we’re not going anywhere. The state has seen what is possible when it comes to addressing this crisis, and our Michigan moms and students are in it for the long haul. While we have made incredible progress in Michigan due to so many gun safety champions led by Governor Whitmer, gun violence continues to impact families and communities across the state. We look forward to continuing to build on our progress and make a safer Michigan.”
“Students and educators need to feel safe in our schools, and these bills are an important step to helping ensure that,” said Chandra Madafferi, President and CEO of the Michigan Education Association. “By making sure families are aware of the best ways to keep guns stored safely, schools can be part of the solution in preventing firearms from falling into the wrong hands.”
House Bills 6144, 6145, and 6146, sponsored by state Representatives Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield Township) and Natalie Price (D-Berkley), will keep Michigan communities safer from gun violence by ensuring the Michigan State Police (MSP) destroy all firearms turned over to it that were purchased under a gun buyback program. These bills build on the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration’s commitment to bolstering public safety and reducing gun violence in our communities by ensuring there are fewer guns on our streets.
“This legislation ensures when we destroy a firearm, our current practice of destroying all parts of the firearm will remain the standard now and for the future,” said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP.
House Bills 4095 and 4096, sponsored by state Representatives Stephanie A. Young (D-Detroit) and Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton), will help keep students and educators safe amidst public safety threats by requiring a standardized response terminology used by schools in response to emergency situations. These initiatives will ensure Michigan schools are able to respond to emergencies quickly and efficiently, keeping students and teachers safe when they’re in the classroom.
House Bills 5659 and 5660, sponsored by state Representatives Luke Meerman (R-Coopersville) and Nancy DeBoer (R-Grand Traverse), improve school safety for Michigan students and educators by creating the new School Safety and Mental Health Commission in the Department of State Police. The new commission will focus on improving mental health outcomes for school-aged children, adolescents, and their families, as well as reducing suicide rates amongst Michigan youth. These bills will work to keep our kids safer both inside the classroom and out.
In conjunction with the signing of House Bills 5659 and 6660, Governor Whitmer also issued the Executive Order 2025-1 to ensure that this new commission includes each critical viewpoint, voice, and role in its work. Specifically, the executive order ensures the below members are included in the School Safety and Metal Health Commission:
To learn more about EO 2025-1, click this link.
House Bills 5400 and 5401, sponsored by state Representatives Noah Arbit (D-West Bloomfield) and Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids), bolster public safety efforts in Michigan, protecting individuals from hate crimes. The bills also amend the sentencing guidelines for a hate crime. By expanding the definition of a hate crime, these bills will help keep Michiganders of all backgrounds safer in their communities and across our state.
House Bills 5887 and 5888, sponsored by state Representatives John Fitzgerald (D-Wyoming) and Kara Hope (D-Holt), expand protections from sexual violence of all kinds, by creating specific criminal penalties for sextortion. Sextortion is a crime in which an individual blackmails others, threatening to distribute sexually explicit photographs or videos of another person. The bills also define sentencing guidelines for these crimes. These bills address a growing form of crime in a modern world, helping Michiganders to live without fear of retribution.
House Bill 4485, sponsored by state Representative Reggie Miller (D-Van Buren Township), will help bring justice to survivors of sexual assault by extending the time for filing an indictment of criminal sexual conduct (CSC) charges in the second or third degree. Under the bill, an indictment for CSC in the second or third degree could be found and filed by the victim’s 42nd birthday, regardless of when the offense occurred. The bill will also reduce the danger of sexual violence against our children by holding sex offenders accountable under an increased statute of limitations, ensuring these predators stay registered.
House Bill 6046, sponsored by state Representative Christine Morse (D-Texas Township), will expand access to services that help prevent the worst of violent events before they occur. The bill ensures eligible providers working to offer community violence intervention services can utilize Medicaid to cover the cost. The bill also establishes a certification pathway and training requirements for violence prevention professionals.
House Bill 5549, sponsored by state Representative Kelly Breen (D-Novi), protects students and educators in the classroom by creating a behavior threat assessment and management team. This team will monitor concerning behavior of students and devise supportive measures to mitigate potential threats and give students the tools they need to thrive. This bill builds on the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration’s commitment to keeping our kids and educators safe as they head to school.
House Bill 4173 and 4384, sponsored by state Representatives Abraham Aiyash (D-Hamtramck) and Luke Meerman (R-Coopersville) support the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration’s commitment to pursuing criminal justice reform by creating the Michigan Sentencing Commission. Our shared view of crime and rehabilitation have significantly shifted since the adoption of our current guidelines. This commission will support criminal justice reform in Michigan by recommending sentencing updates that reflect prevailing opinions towards reform and rehabilitation, decarcerating our facilities and giving more Michiganders a chance to “make it in Michigan.”
House Bill 5695, sponsored by state Representative Mike McFall (D-Hazel Park), will increase the financial support available to local municipalities that provide ground ambulance services to individuals relying on Medicaid. The bill authorizes a supplemental federal reimbursement program to enhance the financial stability of public ambulance service providers, providing support these programs need to continue providing vital services within our communities. |
