LANSING, Mich. (June 25, 2025) — From big cities to small rural towns, gun violence hits communities in every corner of our state. Building on a slate of gun safety policies Michigan Democrats ushered into law in recent years to address this crisis, Senate Democrats passed three additional policies today to keep Michiganders safe from senseless violence.
Among the common-sense gun safety measures passed were bills to:
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Prohibit bump stocks, a device that can convert semi-automatic firearms into machine guns in a matter of minutes;
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Serialize ghost guns, which are fully functioning, untraceable firearms and the fastest-growing gun safety problem facing our country; and
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Keep the Michigan Capitol complex safe from gun violence to ensure a secure environment for students, teachers, parents, advocates, and lawmakers.
This action coincides with National Gun Violence Awareness Month, a time when communities across the nation come together to honor survivors of gun violence and build community with those working to address this pervasive issue.
Prohibiting Bump Stocks
Bump stocks are a deadly device that allows a user to essentially convert a semi-automatic firearm into a machine gun in a matter of minutes. In recent years, bump stocks have become a popular tool among mass shooters and other criminals as they dramatically increase a gun’s rate of fire. Most notably, rifles modified with bump stocks were used in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, where a lone shooter fired over 1,000 rounds in just 11 minutes, killing nearly 60 concert goers and leaving hundreds of others critically injured.
Currently, 17 other states have laws to prohibit the possession of bump stocks and other multiburst trigger activators — Michigan is not one of them. Senate Bill 224, sponsored by Sen. Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia), seeks to rectify the issue and keep these dangerous devices out of the hands of Michigan residents by adding bump stocks to the list of weapons prohibited in the state.
“Whether they shoot for sport or self-defense, civilians have no need for a device that allows them to shoot hundreds of bullets in a matter of minutes,” said Sen. Polehanki. “Bump stocks are designed for one purpose only — to inflict maximum carnage in the shortest amount of time. By prohibiting this deadly device, we’re sending a clear message: Michigan will not stand by while tools of mass violence threaten our communities and our sense of safety.”
Serializing Ghost Guns
Also passed by Senate Democrats were Senate Bills 331 and 332, sponsored by Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak). This package would prohibit the purchase, possession, and distribution of firearms without valid serial numbers, also known as “ghost guns.” Ghost guns often come in kits or can be assembled from 3-D printed parts, often in less than an hour, and they pose the fastest-growing gun safety problem facing our country.
“Ghost guns are deliberately designed to evade accountability — no background checks, no serial numbers, and no way to trace them once they’re used in a crime,” said Sen. McMorrow. “As we see law enforcement officers recovering these untraceable firearms at an alarming rate, Michigan can’t afford to wait. Just as rapidly as new weapon production methods emerge and evolve, so too must our laws and public safety efforts. Our communities deserve nothing less.”
Throughout the nation, 15 states have adopted policies to address this public safety issue, and in March of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of such regulations in a 7-2 ruling.
Keeping the Michigan Capitol Safe for Visitors
To ensure the safety of all those who visit the Capitol complex — including students, teachers, community advocates, and legislative staff — the chamber passed Senate Bills 225 and 226, sponsored by Sens. Polehanki and Rosemary Bayer (D-West Bloomfield). This legislation seeks to codify the Capitol Commission’s ruling that prohibits both the concealed and open carry of firearms in the Michigan State Capitol Building and would also ensure that this applies to the Anderson House Office Building and Binsfeld Senate Office Building. Currently, 26 other states across the country have similar measures in place to uphold the safety of capitol visitors.
“Democracy works best when people can speak up and take part without fear of violence,” said Sen. Bayer. “Every day, kids and school groups walk our Capitol halls and learn about the legislative process. Volunteers and organizers advocate for policies to better their communities. And dedicated staff perform the work that’s essential to keeping our state up and running. All of these people are vital to our democracy, and they deserve to feel safe while participating in it. This legislation will help us achieve that.”
Earlier this month, the Senate also adopted a resolution led by Sen. McMorrow to recognize June 2025 as Gun Violence Awareness Month. These actions build on significant progress championed by Michigan Democrats during the 102nd Legislature, including legislation that:
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Strengthens background checks to close the private sale loophole;
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Promotes safe storage by creating child access protection laws to keep legal firearms safely and securely stored and out of the hands of children and teens;
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Allows courts to issue Extreme Risk Protection Orders to temporarily intervene and suspend a person’s access to firearms if they show clear warning signs of violence and pose an immediate threat to themselves or others;
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Protects survivors of domestic violence by preventing those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes from possessing, using, purchasing, or carrying a firearm in Michigan for eight years; and
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Safeguards the democratic process and protects voters by prohibiting an individual from possessing a firearm at or near a polling place, an early voting site, an absentee voter ballot drop box, and other spaces where election work is occurring.