From SAFR and NRA/ILA via SayUncle:

State Representative Paul Opsommer (R-93) has introduced legislation that seeks to repeal the required “safety inspection” for newly obtained handguns. House Bill 4490 would also require law enforcement agencies to destroy safety inspection records on file.

Michigan’s “safety inspection” is an absolute joke and a blatant end-run around the state Constitution (registration would be unconstitutional, but if you call it a “safety inspection” instead, everything’s hunky-dory!).

Of course, the antis will surely argue that this is a vital “common-sense” provision to protect the public. And if that was the case, the “safety inspection” would actually assure the functional safety of your handguns, right? Here’s a direct quote from one of the “Safety Inspection Certificates” in my wallet:

A cursory inspection has been made of this pistol presented. A check for operational or mechanical defects has not been made of this pistol.

There you have it. And if the “safety inspection” is all about safety, why does this little card list my full name, address, race, sex, height, hair color and eye color? Obviously none of those have the slightest bearing on the gun’s safety, but they’re exactly the sort of information you’d want to put in a statewide gun registry.

Another quote from the SAFR email:

Other cities have made it hard for people to bring their guns in. They will only accept guns for safety inspections during certain hours making it difficult for people to get the inspections done.

Yep, and I live in one of them. My city does “safety inspections” on an appointment-only basis, and good luck getting an appointment at a convenient time. Hell, I’ve had trouble getting them to pencil me in AT ALL within the legally required 10 day after-purchase period.

So here’s hoping for an end to this pointless, dishonest, underhanded and wasteful law. My reps have already been contacted; I urge you to get in touch with yours.