Gov. Whitmer calls for stricter gun laws to 'save lives' during Michigan State of the State

LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - During her fifth State of the State on Wednesday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the time for thoughts and prayers is over as she pushed for stricter gun laws.

"It’s time for common sense action to reduce gun violence in our communities," she said. "Let's enact universal background checks for people who want to buy firearms, let's enact safe storage laws, so we can make sure firearms are stored safely at home, and let's enact extreme risk protection orders, so we can keep guns out of the hands of those who might represent a danger to themselves or others."

Whitmer has been pushing for such changes since she took office, but meeting in the middle hasn't always been easy for the parties. She called for collaboration and more solution-driven laws.

"Despite pleas from the Oxford families, these issues never got a hearing in the last legislature," she said, referencing the 2021 Oxford High School shooting that killed four students. "This year let's change that. Let’s work together to stop the violence and save lives."

Whitmer added that she doesn't want to target legal, responsible gun owners.

"I’m not talking about law-abiding citizens. Hunters and responsible gun owners from both sides of the aisle know we need to get these common-sense safety proposals across the finish line," she said.