LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general in support of commonsense state and federal laws that regulate the sale of firearms to keep communities safe. 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 the state in which they reside, except through a federally licensed firearms dealer, are essential to protecting public safety. The amicus brief, filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, explains that state and federal 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. Mr. Perez was later arrested, criminally prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to prison in New York. Mr. Perez is appealing his conviction, which was handed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, claiming that it violates his Second Amendment right to carry a firearm. 

The coalition argues that federal regulations on the transport of guns across state lines do not infringe on Second Amendment rights, the regulations protect public safety and fortify state gun laws. The attorneys general explain that state regulation of firearms dealers prevents the misuse of guns and helps law enforcement effectively investigate gun-related crimes. For example, 17 states require licensed firearms dealers to maintain detailed records of their inventory and sales, which help law enforcement investigate violent crime and keep communities safer by ensuring that law enforcement has thorough, up-to-date information. Additional state regulations help curb unlawful access to firearms through theft, straw purchases, and illegal sales.  

Since taking office in 2019, Nessel has been a vocal supporter of gun safety measures. Those measures include a federal ban on handgun sales to anyone under the age of 21, greater accountability for gun manufacturers, initiatives to rid the streets of untraceable ghost guns, and a prohibition on firearms in the Capitol and other state buildings. 

In September of last year, AG Nessel gave testimony before the Michigan Senate in favor of gun safety laws that would increase the number of background checks for gun purchasers, set safe storage standards, and introduce an Extreme Risk Protection Order procedure to prevent individuals convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors from possessing or owning a firearm for eight years following their conviction. That legislation was signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in November of 2023. 

Joining AG Nessel in filing this New York-led amicus brief are the attorneys general of 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, and Wisconsin. 

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