Weapons: firearms; waiting period for firearm purchases; provide for. Amends sec. 223 of 1931 PA 328 (MCL 750.223).
Summary
Senate Bill 848 would create a mandatory three-day waiting period before a firearm seller may deliver a purchased firearm to the buyer. The bill amends section 223 of the Michigan Penal Code to make it a misdemeanor for a seller to complete delivery sooner than three days after the sale is completed, with penalties of up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both.
The bill also retains and restates existing firearm-sale restrictions in state law. It continues to prohibit knowingly selling firearms to minors in certain circumstances, to persons under felony indictment, or to persons otherwise prohibited from possessing firearms under section 224f, and it preserves the current criminal penalties for those violations. In addition, it keeps the existing requirement that firearm sales comply with the background-check-related provisions of MCL 28.422.
Impact
The bill would amend Michigan’s Penal Code by adding a statutory waiting period for firearm transfers and by reinforcing the criminal penalties tied to unlawful firearm sales. It would affect firearm dealers and other sellers by requiring them to delay delivery for at least three days after a sale is completed, and it would expose violators to misdemeanor prosecution. The bill does not create a new licensing scheme, but it would change the timing of lawful firearm purchases and add another condition for compliance under state law.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the bill appears to be framed as a public-safety measure focused on firearm purchase delays and sales restrictions. The overall sentiment cannot be measured from debate records here, but the structure of the bill suggests support for tighter regulation of firearm transfers and enforcement of existing prohibitions. Because no transcripts or vote history are provided, there is no documented opposition or endorsement to characterize beyond the bill’s regulatory intent.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the three-day waiting period itself, since it imposes a new delay on firearm purchasers and sellers and may be viewed as either a suicide-prevention/public-safety tool or an unnecessary burden on lawful gun ownership and commerce. Another possible area of debate is the bill’s reliance on criminal penalties for sellers, which could raise concerns about enforcement, compliance costs, and the practical effect on retail firearm transactions. No specific stakeholder positions are included in the provided materials, so these contentions are inferred from the bill’s subject matter rather than from recorded testimony.
Weapons: firearms; certain provisions regarding weapons; repeal. Amends secs. 230, 231 & 237a of 1931 PA 328 (MCL 750.230 et seq.) & repeals (see bill).