Michigan Senator Who Represents Oxford Introducing Bills to Limit Sale of High-Capacity Gun Magazines

The state senator whose district includes Oxford Township is introducing new bills that would limit the sale and possession of gun magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds.

“We know that mattered last week … Less bullets would have been fired.” –State Sen. Rosemary Bayer (D-Beverly Hills)

Listen: State Sen. Rosemary Bayer details her new bills to limit high-capacity gun magazines in Michigan.

State Sen. Rosemary Bayer (D-Beverly Hills) represents Michigan’s 12th state Senate district, which includes Oxford. She is also the co-chair of Michigan’s legislative Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention Caucus. 

Bayer’s bills would ban the sale and possession of a gun magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. It would be a misdemeanor punishable up to 90 days in jail, or a fine of up to $500. 

“These are very, very specific pieces of legislation that can make a direct and immediate difference,” she says.

“If you have a large capacity magazine already, you need to report to your local police that you have it. You don’t have to turn it in, you don’t have to give it up. But you have to report that you have it.” — State Sen. Rosemary Bayer (D-Beverly Hills)

She says these bills have been in the works for a long time, and are not a direct reaction to the Oxford shooting that left four students dead and wounded seven others. But the timing of the introduction adds weight to the announcement.

“We know that mattered last week,” Bayer continues. “Less bullets would have been fired.”

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said last week that the 15-year-old suspect had three, 15-round magazines during the shooting.

When asked whether the bill would be retroactive, Bayer says “only in the sense that if you have a large capacity magazine already, you need to report to your local police that you have it. You don’t have to turn it in, you don’t have to give it up. But you have to report that you have it.”

Bayer also notes there are several other gun reform bills languishing in the state Legislature that have been introduced by Democrats.

We must #EndGunViolence. @MIHouseDems & @MISenDems have new bills to prohibit high-capacity magazines exceeding 10 rounds of ammo, to go with our previous #safestorage and other #gunsafety bills. @RepBrendaCarter & @RepCAJohnson lead on our latest bills. We need #GunSafetyNOW. pic.twitter.com/6GirPRPflH

— MI House Democrats (@MIHouseDems) December 9, 2021