Beginning October 1, school districts are required to send information about Michigan’s Secure Storage Law to parents once a year. The law went into effect in February 2024, and it requires unattended weapons to be unloaded and stored in a secure, locked box or container when a child is present in the home.
In order to enforce and make the general public more aware of these regulations, H.B. 5450 and H.B. 5451, also called the “Safe Homes, Safe Schools Law," were introduced.
Local elected and educational leaders voiced support for the gun laws during a press conference hosted by End Gun Violence Michigan on Wednesday.
State Representative Sharon MacDonell (D-Troy) was a sponsor of both bills. “We all have a responsibility to keep kids safe from gun violence,” MacDonell said. “And this responsibility inspired the legislation we’re celebrating today.”
State Representative Julie Brixie (D-Meridian Township) was also a sponsor of the bills. Brixie said she has helped implement emergency risk protection orders, universal background checks, and safe storage of guns.
“I hope these are the first steps in a long line of common sense gun reform,” she said.
“The majority of K-12 school shooters are children, and the majority of accidental child firearm deaths are the result of guns left loaded and unlocked,” Brixie continued. “Safely securing firearms to keep them out of the reach of children will undoubtedly save lives, but we’re unlikely to know when families are failing to follow the law until it's too late.”
That’s why the bills are important, she said. They will work to ensure that all gun owners are educated and aware of their responsibility to properly secure their firearms.
“The bill does not create any stricter gun laws or put any additional burden on responsible gun owners,” Brixie said. “It actually empowers responsible gun owners, ensuring they know the law and exactly how to fulfill its requirements.”
James Alston, the superintendent of Kelloggsville Public Schools, said, “It’s not telling people they can’t own firearms. We are simply asking them to follow the law.”
Alston said that safe storage laws protect students, teachers, and staff without infringing on anyone’s rights. The school system provides free gun locks for owners courtesy of county police departments.
Brenda Goss Andrews is a retired Detroit Police Deputy Chief and the Founder of “It Starts at Home” Secure Storage program with National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE).
Goss Andrews said the best practice for secure storage is to leave the firearm unloaded, with ammunition stored separately and keys to locks out of the reach of children. Educators are responsible not only for education, but for the safety of their children, she said.
Lisa Roscoe works for Michigan Parent Teacher Association (PTA). She recalled her fear during the shooting at Michigan State University in 2023, where one of her sons was currently a student.
“I was terrified for the safety of my son…I found myself thinking how can this be happening? It was surreal. The panic of not getting a response from my son for an hour felt like an eternity.” Roscoe added that grief and survivor's guilt for those who lost their lives remain a struggle for her family.
This is why gun reform is crucial, she said. “Safe storage can save lives.”
