Taking action to prevent gun violence and protect our communities shouldn’t be controversial—and for the majority of Michiganders, it isn’t.

That’s right: Most Michigan voters, including Republican voters and gun owners, support evidence-based policies like Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) laws, safe storage regulations, and increased funding for community groups and mental health services. 

So why has the Republican-controlled Michigan legislature refused to act?

The data doesn’t lie: Safe storage laws, which hold gun owners who fail to secure their firearms accountable if those guns are involved in a crime or accident, are extremely effective at preventing injuries and deaths. 67 percent of Michiganders agree, and believe our House and Senate should pass this critical legislation. But in the wake of a mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Republican senators gave up and went home early to avoid discussing safe storage bills.

ERPO laws can also make our communities safer by creating an avenue to temporarily restrict a person’s access to guns if they’re deemed a threat to themself or others—and 64 percent of Michigan voters think our lawmakers should enact those laws. But despite the overwhelming evidence that this policy would save lives and the widespread public support for ERPO laws, Republican legislators have ignored our pleas for action.

There’s no excuse. People are dying and being seriously injured by guns on a daily basis, and many of these tragedies are preventable. We need to hold Michigan Republicans accountable.