LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Just in case anyone thought Michigan’s gun policy debate was winding down, Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer is making sure it stays loaded. By re-establishing the Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Task Force through Executive Order 2026-13 last week, Whitmer made clear that her administration intends to keep pushing gun-related initiatives through the remainder of her term.
In a recent press release, the governor touted what she called “historic progress” during her time in office, pointing to universal background checks, firearm storage requirements, red flag laws, and restrictions on gun ownership for certain domestic violence offenders.
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“Every Michigander deserves to feel safe in their community,” Whitmer announced.
The task force was originally created in 2024 from a previous executive order by Whitmer and has completed a final report containing recommendations for reducing gun violence. Rather than wrapping up its work, Whitmer’s executive order keeps the group alive to help implement those recommendations, coordinate efforts across state government, and collect additional data.
What is in the task force report?
It is clear that Whitmer is shifting the mission of the task force from studying gun violence to implementing the task force’s recommendations.
The report’s recommendations include creating a Firearm Safety Policy Implementation Team to coordinate agencies, track progress, engage communities, and make sure the task force’s ideas actually get implemented.
The report contains a lengthy list of recommendations, many of which call for additional firearm regulations. Among them are: raising firearm purchase age to 21; banning large-capacity magazines; licensing and inspecting gun dealers; banning ghost guns; allowing legal accountability for the gun industry; banning guns in government buildings; banning assault weapons; and banning automatic conversion devices.
Mission accomplished? Not quite according to the governor.
If the governor’s announcement – and the task force itself – has a theme, it’s pretty simple: the laws passed so far are only the beginning.
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State Rep. Julie Brixie (D-Meridian Township), chair of the Legislature’s Firearm Safety and Gun Violence Prevention Caucus, praised the task force but made clear that Democrats see additional legislation as part of the plan.
“Gun violence is a public health crisis and there is so much more we must do,” Brixie said. Supporters of the effort, including Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller and activists with Moms Demand Action, applauded Whitmer’s decision and called for continued action on firearm regulations.
More money, more programs.
Whitmer’s latest budget proposal includes $2.5 million to continue funding the statewide gun violence prevention task force so they can implement their recommendations.
For gun-rights advocates, the announcement is likely to reinforce concerns that the administration’s focus remains on expanding government involvement in firearm policy. For supporters, it represents a continuation of what they view as successful efforts which came after the tragedies at Oxford High School and Michigan State University.
One thing is certain: despite already passing several major gun-control measures, the Whitmer administration is making it clear that it does not consider the job finished.
