HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2018.07.19 - 23679eee/iterA ..g011 Do loft/
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — SUPKIRT OF MICHIGAN LEGISLATIVE REFORM — RAISING
THE PENALTY FOR INCIDENTS INVOLVING A STOLEN OR UNREGISTERED FIREARM
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS stolen firearms pose a significant risk to community safety, whether stolen from a gun store or
an individual gun owner's collection, these firearms often head straight into the illegal underground gun
market, where they are sold, traded and used to facilitate violent crimes; and
WHEREAS Oakland County leaders and law enforcement officials continue to strive for an increased public
awareness on gun violence prevention and illegal gun trafficking; and
WHEREAS a 2016 survey by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has found that 54%
of American gun-owners did not store their firearms safely; and
WHEREAS research done by Harvard and Northeastern Universities have found that between 300,000 and
600,000 privately owned firearms are stolen in America every year; and
WHEREAS at the high end, that's more than 1,600 guns stolen every day or more than one every minute,
that's enough firearms to provide a weapon for every instance of gun violence in the country each year —
several times over; and
WHEREAS the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives stated, in a 2012 report, that lost and
stolen guns posed a "substantial threat" to public safety and to law enforcement. The report further states,
"Those that steal firearms commit violent crimes with stolen guns, transfer stolen firearms to others who
commit crimes, and create an unregulated secondary market for firearms,"; and
WHEREAS current Michigan Law, Public Act 328 of 1931, MCL 750.227b, sets the penalty for a person
carrying or possessing a firearm when committing or attempting to commit a felony punishable by
imprisonment for up to 2 years on the first conviction; and
WHEREAS the Oakland County Sheriff is in favor of raising the penalty for felony firearms charges for those
incidents involving a stolen or unregistered firearm from 2 years to 3 years on the first conviction; and
WHEREAS the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, upon the recommendation from the Oakland
County Sheriff, supports amending The Michigan Penal Code, Public Act 328 of 1931, MCL 750.227b, by
increasing the penalty for punishment by imprisonment of those individuals who violate the law by
increasing the sentence guidelines from 2 years to 3 years; and
WHEREAS raising the penalty for a felony firearms charge from 2 to 3 years for incidents involving a stolen
or unregistered firearm is a legislative reform that will provide greater safety to our communities.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby declares
a call to action upon the Michigan legislature to amend Public Act 328 of 1931, MCL 750.227b, important
public safety legislation by increasing the penalty on first convictions for incidents involving a firearm from
2 years to 3 years and adding language for the same penalty subject to stolen or unregistered firearms.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds is requested to forward
copies of this adopted resolution to the Governor of the State of Michigan, the Lt. Governor of the State of
Michigan, the Oakland County members of the Michigan congressional delegation, the members of the
Oakland County delegation to the Michigan Legislature, and the members of the Michigan House Judiciary
Committee.
Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing Resolution.
CoMmissioner Mb* Quarles
District #17
MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #18278
BY: Commissioner Nancy Quarles, District #17
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Resolution #18278 July 19., 2018
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no objections.