WASHINGTON — Rep. Elissa Slotkin has reintroduced the Safe Guns, Safe Kids Act in an effort to protect U.S. citizens from gun violence.
The U.S. House of Representatives says the bill, first introduced in the wake of the mass shooting at Oxford High School, would require firearms to be stored properly so that guns stay out of the hands of children and criminals.
If it becomes law, a penalty of five years behind bars may be imposed in the event a child manages to gain access to a gun and cause injury.
The bill passed the U.S. House in June 2022.
Slotkin released the following statement:
“In less than 15 months, two different communities that I represent have been torn apart by gun violence. Students, teachers, and families in Oxford and now East Lansing have been devastated and traumatized by these horrific tragedies, but even with gun violence as the leading cause of death for American children, too many of our elected officials are out of touch and refuse to take the basic steps we need to keep our kids safe.
“For me, the most haunting image last week was of a Michigan State student behind the police line on the night of the shooting wearing an ‘Oxford Strong’ sweatshirt to honor the shooting at Oxford High School. Right now, our kids are the ones paying the price for our inaction – and it simply cannot continue.
“All of the measures I’m announcing today have overwhelming, bipartisan support in Michigan, including from the countless gun owners I’ve heard from in recent days who are now demanding better gun safety laws. Despite that fact, it's our elected leaders who are the last ones to get the memo. Michigan’s kids and families deserve to live without the constant fear of gun violence, and I’ll continue to fight for these measures as long as it takes until we have law on the books to save lives and keep our communities safe.”
We’re told Slotkin also plans to co-sponsor the Assault Weapons Ban of 2023 and Bipartisan Background Checks Act.
A virtual town hall is scheduled to be held Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. to solicit feedback from students and constituents on the changes they want to see following the tragedy at Michigan State University.
