Firearms Records to be Protected

The Michigan House will soon consider bills that exempt firearm records from the Freedom of Information Act. The bills also set up a method for law enforcement to obtain the records if it’s needed for investigation purposes, although the bill says they would have to detail “reasonable suspicion” before they could gain access. The National Rifle Association is the main interest-group backer of the bills, saying in other states such information has been published with the intent of ostracizing gun owners. They also say publishing the material advertises to thieves that valuable guns may be in their homes. Proposed amendments by Democrats to require background checks before a firearm is purchased, were rejected by majority Republicans.