April 7th, 2008
House Bill 4490 will be heard on Tuesday, April 15 in the House Committee on Tourism, Outdoor Recreation, and Natural Resources. Introduced by State Representative Paul Opsommer (R-93) HB4490 would repeal the required “safety inspection” for newly obtained handguns. HB 4490 would also require law enforcement agencies to destroy “safety inspection” records on file. Current Michigan law requires anyone who comes into possession of a pistol to take it to the police or sheriff’s department for a safety inspection. The requirement of a safety inspection is a burdensome waste of time for law-abiding gun owners and HB4490 will end that inconvenience.
I was unaware of this.
Of course, while performing this “safety inspection” the weapon’s serial number is recorded along with the gun owner’s personal info. I’ve always said that if it truly was about safety, they’d simply record serial numbers of guns inspected with no personal info attached to it. That would allow them to know which guns have been inspected.
Also, my local police department’s window for performing handgun inspections has a very limited schedule of operation. I believe that this is actually illegal under Michigan law, which stipulates that all gun-related services be available during all normal operating hours. I’ve never followed up on that, though.
Though I doubt that this bill has much of a chance of making it, I’ll will be contacting my representatives in support of it.
