LANSING, Mich. — Although it was only one of the many things mentioned in her speech, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer talked about gun violence issues in her State of the State address.
Whitmer said since she was elected in 2018, the state has invested around $1 billion into public safety, and there were hundreds of illegal firearms taken off the streets after the launch of Operation Safe Neighborhoods. While Whitmer says her administration has done a lot, she believes there needs to be a lot more done to prevent deaths related to gun violence.
“Let’s enact universal background checks for people who want to buy firearms,” she said. “Let’s enact safe storage laws, so we can make sure firearms are stored safely at home. And let’s enact extreme risk protection orders, so we can keep guns out of the hands of those who might represent a danger to themselves or others.”
Someone watching Whitmer's speech was Michael McKissic Sr., who lost his son in 2015 due to gun violence. He was hoping the governor addressed the issue of gun violence in her speech.
"Support these organizations that got the boots on the ground and that’s doing the work," McKissic said. "So utilize some funds for those particular organizations."
It’s unclear how much more money Whitmer plans to invest into public safety, but she said we should have a better idea when she releases her budget in a few weeks.
