By: Robert Davis

Democrats in the Michigan Senate introduced a slew of gun control bills in April which they say will save countless lives.

Responsible gun owners in the state say the bills would trample the Second Amendment and remove due process under the guise of safety.

Tom Lambert, President and Legislative Director for Michigan Open Carry, one of the biggest critics of the proposed legislation, said the bills are effectively dead in the water.

"Part of it has to do with Michigan’s legislature being Republican-controlled," Lambert told Gunpowder Magazine. "Another aspect of it is that they effectively create the largest bait-and-switch in Michigan’s history."

The bait-and-switch Lambert is referring to is Senate Bill 937. It is a ‘red flag’ bill that has gained traction in legislatures across the country, including in Florida and California, which would allow a state court to take away a gun owner’s weapon if they are deemed to be a risk to themselves or the community.

“I have seen no evidence of red flag gun confiscation orders saving lives, nor do the proponents of such legislation seem to have any evidence of these laws saving lives,” Brenden Boudreau, Director of Great Lakes Gun Rights, told Gunpowder Magazine.

“Like every gun control proposal, the proponents of these laws cater to emotion in talking about what could be stopped, without actually having evidence of their proposals working,” Boudreau said.

Boudreau has spoken to many law enforcement officers about red flag bills, all of whom have said they aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.

“If a bad guy is going to do something, he is going to still do it, regardless of the laws on the books,” Boudreau said.

Oddly enough, the senator who introduced the red flag bill, David Knezek, lost his primary election to an unknown candidate and will not be returning to Lansing next year.

“If we’re concerned with school safety, there are other ways to make schools safe without dragging guns into the middle of the debate,” Lambert said.

Other proposed legislation includes Senate Bill 933, which would allocate $100 million to adding additional school resource officers, school counselors, and social workers; Bill 934 would expand criminal background checks and close the private-sale loophole; and Bill 935 would restrict concealed carry weapons from school campuses.

Robert Davis is a General Assignment Reporter for Gunpowder Magazine. You can reach him with tips or comments at [email protected].