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Preemptive state laws prevent Grand Rapids, other local governments from creating gun safety laws

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — FOX 17 hit the streets of downtown Grand Rapids Friday with a whiteboard that had a question on it: "Should gun owners be required to lock up their guns?"

People went to the microphone with their various opinions. Many people expressed that no, gun owners should not be required to safely store their guns.

“I need to have my guns, visual to see, that’s right there beside me. So I can protect anybody that’s in danger. So I can protect myself and my family,” one community member said.

Others said responsible gun ownership requires responsible gun storage.

But it really doesn't matter what public opinion is. The fact remains: no local laws can be created regarding gun storage or safety.

“The state is very specific, that at the local levels, we can’t pass any laws regarding gun safety. We can’t pass any regulation to require people to lock up their guns,” Mayor Rosalynn Bliss said.

It's under preemptive state laws that actually prevent Grand Rapids officials from doing many different types of legislation.

“I can’t locally tell a retail shop, 'If you sell guns, at the end of the day, you need to lock up your guns,'” Bliss said.

Requirements wouldn't prevent problems with gun storage from happening, but they would certainly be a preventative measure, Bliss said. Just this week, a Grand Rapids man was charged with involuntary manslaughter for allowing a child to access an unlocked and loaded gun that ultimately took the life of a 13-year-old.

But no local requirements can be made to prevent the situation from happening in the first place, Bliss says.

“Like, if you have a gun, lock it up. I just don’t think that’s too much to ask. I come from a big family; I have six brothers, and they have guns. I have four brothers who were in the military; they have guns ... and they lock them up,” Bliss said.

RELATED: Oxford community holds march for gun safety reform

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