Article Summary –
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has reestablished the Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, originally created in 2024, to implement recommendations from a report aimed at reducing gun injuries and deaths, including a statewide media campaign on safe firearm storage and improved data collection on gun-related suicides. The 23-member task force will include various state representatives and community leaders, serving four-year terms, to continue the progress made under Whitmer’s administration, which includes background checks, safe storage laws, and investments in mental health and law enforcement. Lawmakers in Michigan are also introducing bills to further reduce gun violence, such as establishing a voluntary “do-not-sell” database to prevent impulsive firearm purchases and prohibiting fees for red-flag protection orders related to domestic violence or stalking.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is rallying policymakers and community organizers to tackle Michigan’s gun violence issue.
On June 4, Whitmer signed an executive order at Edison High School in Kalamazoo, reviving the Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and proclaiming June as “Gun Violence Awareness Month.”
Originally established in 2024, the task force advised the governor’s office and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on gun violence causes, delivering a report with strategies to reduce gun-related injuries and deaths. This work concluded in November 2025.
The June 4 executive order outlines the task force’s focus on applying report recommendations like a statewide media campaign on safe firearm storage and enhancing data on gun-related suicides.
In a press release, Whitmer emphasized the task force’s role in advancing gun safety, highlighting legislative achievements such as background checks, safe storage laws, and mental health funding.
“Every Michigander deserves to feel safe,” Whitmer stated. “We’ve achieved historic progress in reducing gun violence, and I am proud to re-establish this task force to protect communities and save lives.”
The 23-member task force will include Michigan’s chief medical executive and representatives from state agencies like the Michigan State Police. Community leaders in gun violence prevention, suicide prevention, and education will be appointed by the governor, serving four-year terms.
Firearm injuries were the leading cause of death for children and teens in the U.S. in 2022, per the CDC. In Michigan, unintentional injuries lead cause of death for those aged 1-44.
Meanwhile, Michigan lawmakers are pushing new legislation to reduce gun violence. Proposed bills in the Senate aim to create a voluntary “do-not-sell” database and remove fees for red-flag protection orders. The former awaits a committee vote, while the latter passed the Senate in December 2025 and moved to the House.
State Rep. Julie Brixie, chair of the Firearm Safety and Gun Violence Prevention Caucus, called gun violence a public health crisis. “The task force has been crucial in helping strengthen our laws and create solutions to reduce gun violence,” she said. “We’ll continue building on our progress until every Michigander is safe.”
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