Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in support of state and federal laws regulating the sale of firearms to enhance community safety. The coalition filed an amicus brief in U.S. v. Steven Perez, arguing that federal laws preventing individuals from transporting or receiving firearms from outside their state of residence, except through a federally licensed firearms dealer, are crucial for public safety. The brief, submitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, emphasizes that regulation of firearms dealers helps reduce violent crime and supports law enforcement investigations.

“Enforcing sensible regulations on the transfer and sale of firearms across state lines is crucial to safeguarding our communities against gun violence and bolstering state laws,” Nessel said. “I stand firmly with my colleagues in supporting these regulations.”

In 2020, Steven Perez received illegally purchased weapons from an unlicensed firearms dealer in South Carolina that were transported to him in New York City. Perez was later arrested, prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to prison in New York. He is appealing his conviction handed down by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, claiming it violates his Second Amendment right to carry a firearm.

The coalition argues that federal regulations on transporting guns across state lines do not infringe on Second Amendment rights but protect public safety and strengthen state gun laws. The attorneys general assert that regulating firearms dealers prevents misuse and aids law enforcement in investigating gun-related crimes. For instance, 17 states require licensed firearms dealers to maintain detailed records of inventory and sales, aiding law enforcement investigations into violent crime and ensuring up-to-date information.

Since taking office in 2019, Nessel has supported various gun safety measures including a federal ban on handgun sales to individuals under 21 years old, increased accountability for gun manufacturers, initiatives against untraceable ghost guns, and prohibitions on firearms in the Capitol and other state buildings.

In September last year, AG Nessel testified before the Michigan Senate advocating for gun safety laws aimed at increasing background checks for purchasers, setting safe storage standards, and introducing an Extreme Risk Protection Order procedure to prevent those convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors from owning a firearm for eight years post-conviction. This legislation was signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in November 2023.

Joining AG Nessel in filing this New York-led amicus brief are the attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland Massachusetts Minnesota Nevada New Jersey North Carolina Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont Washington Wisconsin