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Michigan: Governor Signs Important Pro-Gun Package!

On Thursday July 10, Governor Jennifer Granholm (D) signed into law the Post-Purchase "Safety Inspection" Repeal Package. 

These important bills, Senate Bill 370 and House Bills 4490 and 4491, will remove the cumbersome post-purchase “safety inspection” on handguns and will go into immediate effect (Actually, 7 Jan 2009).  The requirement of a safety inspection was a burdensome waste of time for law-abiding gun owners and these bills will address that inconvenience. 

Thank you to all NRA members who answered the call to help enact this legislation.  Without you, this victory would not have been possible.

Copyright 2008, National Rifle Association of America, Institute for Legislative Action.
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MICHIGAN IS LATEST STATE TO ENACT
NRA-BACKED “CASTLE DOCTRINE” LEGISLATION!

On July 20, 2006, Governor Jennifer Granholm (D) signed into law a package of six self-defense bills backed by NRA, bringing  “Castle Doctrine” protections to law-abiding Michigan citizens.

“I want to thank the Michigan Legislature and Governor Jennifer Granholm for working together in making this victims’ rights bill law,” said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox.  “When you’re confronted by a criminal, you don’t have the luxury of time.  This “Castle Doctrine” package states that if victims choose to stand their ground and fight, their decision will not be second-guessed by the State of Michigan.  The ability to protect yourself, your children, or your spouse from harm is important, whether you’re in your home or outside.”

The six-bill “Castle Doctrine” Package passed with bi-partisan, supermajority support in both houses of the Michigan legislature:

HB 5143, sponsored by Rep. Rick Jones (R-71), creates the “Self Defense Act” and specifies that it is not a crime to use force or deadly force to defend oneself if that person is not breaking any laws when defensive force was used.  The person must be facing imminent threat of death or great bodily harm.

SB 1046, sponsored by Sen. Alan Cropsey (R-33), outlines rebuttal presumptions for justified use of self-defense.  The bill makes it clear that there is no “duty to retreat” if a person is in a place where he or she has a legal right to be.

SB 1185, sponsored by Sen. Ron Jelinek (R-21), allows for the award of court and attorney fees in civil cases where it was determined a person acted in accordance with the “Self Defense Act” and where civil immunities apply.

HB 5548, sponsored by Rep. Tim Moore (R-97), gives civil immunities to persons acting in accordance with the “Self Defense Act,” preventing criminals and their families from suing law-abiding citizens.

HB 5153, sponsored by Rep. Leslie Mortimer (R-65), puts the burden of proof on the prosecutor to show that a person acted unlawfully in the application of force, rather than the person using the force having to prove they acted lawfully.

HB 5142, sponsored by Rep. Tom Casperson (R-108), expands the definition of “dwelling” to include a person’s garage, barn, backyard, etc.

“On behalf of all NRA members in Michigan, I want to thank each of the bills’ chief sponsors for their leadership in seeing these measures become law,” Cox said. “The Castle Doctrine is about putting the law back on the side of the victim; the way it’s supposed to be.”