June 6, 2018, Introduced by Senator JONES and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.
A bill to amend 1927 PA 372, entitled
"An act to regulate and license the selling, purchasing,
possessing, and carrying of certain firearms, gas ejecting devices,
and electro-muscular disruption devices; to prohibit the buying,
selling, or carrying of certain firearms, gas ejecting devices, and
electro-muscular disruption devices without a license or other
authorization; to provide for the forfeiture of firearms and
electro-muscular disruption devices under certain circumstances; to
provide for penalties and remedies; to provide immunity from civil
liability under certain circumstances; to prescribe the powers and
duties of certain state and local agencies; to prohibit certain
conduct against individuals who apply for or receive a license to
carry a concealed pistol; to make appropriations; to prescribe
certain conditions for the appropriations; and to repeal all acts
and parts of acts inconsistent with this act,"
by amending section 15 (MCL 28.435), as added by 2000 PA 265.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 15. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), a federally
licensed firearms dealer shall not sell a firearm in this state
unless the sale includes 1 of the following:
(a) A commercially available trigger lock or other device
designed to disable the firearm and prevent the discharge of the
firearm.
(b) A commercially available gun case or storage container
that can be secured to prevent unauthorized access to the firearm.
(2) This section does not apply to any of the following:
(a) The sale of a firearm to a police officer or a police
agency.
(b) The sale of a firearm to a person who presents to the
federally licensed firearms dealer 1 of the following:
(i) A trigger lock or other device designed to disable the
firearm and prevent the discharge of the firearm together with a
copy of the purchase receipt for the federally licensed firearms
dealer to keep. A separate trigger lock or device and a separate
purchase
receipt shall be is required for each firearm purchased.
(ii) A gun case or storage container that can be secured to
prevent unauthorized access to the firearm together with a copy of
the purchase receipt for the federally licensed firearms dealer to
keep. A separate gun case or storage container and a separate
purchase
receipt shall be is required for each firearm purchased.
(c) The sale of an antique firearm. As used in this
subdivision, "antique firearm" means that term as defined in
section 231a of the Michigan penal code, 1931 PA 328, MCL 750.231a.
(d) The sale or transfer of a firearm if the seller is not a
federally licensed firearms dealer.
(3) A federally licensed firearms dealer shall not sell a
firearm in this state unless the firearm is accompanied with, free
of charge, a brochure or pamphlet that includes safety information
on the use and storage of the firearm in a home environment.
(4) Upon the sale of a firearm, a federally licensed firearms
dealer shall sign a statement and require the purchaser to sign a
statement stating that the sale is in compliance with subsections
(1), (2), and (3).
(5) A federally licensed firearms dealer shall retain a copy
of the signed statements prescribed in subsection (4) and, if
applicable, a copy of the receipt prescribed in subsection (2)(b),
for at least 6 years.
(6) A federally licensed firearms dealer in this state shall
post in a conspicuous manner at the entrances, exits, and all
points of sale on the premises where firearms are sold a notice
that says the following: "You may be criminally and civilly liable
for any harm caused by a person less than 18 years of age who
lawfully gains unsupervised access to your firearm if unlawfully
stored.".
(7) A federally licensed firearms dealer is not liable for
damages arising from the use or misuse of a firearm if the sale
complies with this section, any other applicable law of this state,
and applicable federal law.
(8) This section does not create a civil action or liability
for damages arising from the use or misuse of a firearm or
ammunition for a person, other than a federally licensed firearms
dealer, who produces a firearm or ammunition.
(9) Subject to subsections (10) to (12), a political
subdivision shall not bring a civil action against any person who
produces a firearm or ammunition. The authority to bring a civil
action under this section is reserved exclusively to the state and
can be brought only by the attorney general. The court shall award
costs and reasonable attorney fees to each defendant named in a
civil action filed in violation of this subsection.
(10) Subject to subsection (11), subsection (9) does not
prohibit a civil action by a political subdivision based on 1 or
more of the following, which the court shall narrowly construe:
(a) A breach of contract, other contract issue, or an action
based on a provision of the uniform commercial code, 1962 PA 174,
MCL
440.1101 to 440.11102, 440.9994,
in which the political
subdivision is the purchaser and owner of the firearm or
ammunition.
(b) Expressed or implied warranties arising from the purchase
of a firearm or ammunition by the political subdivision or the use
of a firearm or ammunition by an employee or agent of the political
subdivision.
(c) A product liability, personal injury, or wrongful death
action when an employee or agent or property of the political
subdivision has been injured or damaged as a result of a defect in
the design or manufacture of the firearm or ammunition purchased
and owned by the political subdivision.
(11) Subsection (10) does not allow an action based on any of
the following:
(a) A firearm's or ammunition's inherent potential to cause
injury, damage, or death.
(b) Failure to warn the purchaser, transferee, or user of the
firearm's or ammunition's inherent potential to cause injury,
damage, or death.
(c) Failure to sell with or incorporate into the product a
device or mechanism to prevent a firearm or ammunition from being
discharged by an unauthorized person unless specifically provided
for by contract.
(12)
Subsections (9) through to
(11) do not create a civil
action.
(13)
Subsections (9) through to
(11) are intended only to
clarify the current status of the law in this state, are remedial
in nature, and, therefore, apply to a civil action pending on the
effective date of this act.
(14) If a federally licensed firearms dealer denies an
individual from purchasing a firearm because the federally licensed
firearms dealer determines through the national instant criminal
background check system that the applicant is prohibited under
federal law from possessing or transporting a firearm, the
federally licensed firearms dealer shall notify the department of
state police within 1 hour after that denial. The notice must
include all of the following:
(a) The identity of the individual who was denied.
(b) The date and time of the denial.
(c) The location where the individual attempted to purchase
the firearm.
(15)
(14) Beginning September 1, 2000, a person who violates
this section is guilty of a crime as follows:
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) or (c), the person
is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more
than 93 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.
(b) For a second conviction, the person is guilty of a
misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or
a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.
(c) For a third or subsequent conviction, the person is guilty
of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 2 years or
a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both.
(16) (15)
As used in this section:
(a) "Federally licensed firearms dealer" means a person
licensed
under section 923 of title 18 of the United States Code,
18
U.S.C. USC 923.
(b) "Firearm or ammunition" includes a component of a firearm
or ammunition.
(c) "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation,
association, or other legal entity.
(d) "Political subdivision" means a county, city, village,
township, charter township, school district, community college, or
public university or college.
(e) "Produce" means to manufacture, construct, design,
formulate, develop standards for, prepare, process, assemble,
inspect, test, list, certify, give a warning or instructions
regarding, market, sell, advertise, package, label, distribute, or
transfer.