Email from MCRGO   MICHIGAN COALITION FOR RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERS "Promoting safe use and ownership of firearms through education, litigation, and legislation." MONDAY E'NEWS   The Tip Line Controversy The amendment above was inserted into the conference committee report of the Michigan School Aid bill (HB 5503 CR-1) on September 25, 2024. The conference committee report was fast tracked from committee to be approved by the full House and Senate that same afternoon with very little time for legislators to read the report or testify on it. This amendment would allow intermediate school districts to establish a tip hotline for students to anonymously report parents, relatives, friends' parents, etc. who improperly store a firearm. While we all support responsible firearms storage, this is the type of thing we'd expect to see from a totalitarian police state. The tip line is another way to demonize gun owners and create a negative stigma about families that own firearms for self defense and hunting. Additionally, there is strong potential for misuse of the tip line creating another way to send police to somebody's house anonymously (AKA "swatting") that has resulted in unintended deaths. The tip line has no positive benefit that anybody can see in terms of what the police are going to do about it. MCRGO would much rather see the money used for gun safety and training programs, including the Eddie Eagle program. Eddie Eagle is a Pre-K through fourth grade lesson program for gun accident prevention, instructing children that if they see a firearm, they should "Stop! Don't touch. Run Away. Tell a grown-up." For Democrats, the tip line amendment serves as a campaign season deflection from their refusal to take up the bipartisan Safe Schools package (House Bills 4088-4100) this legislative session. Democrats don't want to give Republicans from competitive districts an opportunity to vote for the Safe Schools bills. The Safe Schools bills were developed following the November 2021 Oxford High School shooting. They would improve school safety, provide for youth mental health resources, and create statewide law enforcement standards. The bills were introduced in February 2023 and have been sitting ignored in the House Education Committee these past 20 months. UPCOMING EVENTS NRA Get out the Vote (GOTV) Election Kickoff Meeting Monday, October 7, 2024, 6:30 PM (door open at 6:00 PM) Multi-Lakes Conservation Assn.; 3860 Newton Rd., Commerce Twp., MI 48383 RSVP at the link HERE MCRGO Annual Meeting Friday, December 6, 2024, 11 AM to 2 PM Coral Gables Restaurant; 2838 E Grand River Ave, East Lansing, MI 48823 A pizza and salad buffet will be provided along with non-alcoholic beverages. Open to current MCRGO members only. RSVP required to [email protected]. MCRGO | PO Box 2294 | Grand Rapids, MI 49501 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice