LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source)- As the Michigan House adjourned for the week after passing nearly a dozen gun reform bills, a bill was introduced to protect businesses, including those that support firearm ownership. 

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According to Representative Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan) many Michigan businesses are concerned that they could become targets of economic boycotts by large corporations or institutional investors due to the nature of their business. Industries like conventional energy production, firearms, mining, and timber have been targeted and discriminated against, he said. 

“It is important to ensure that our tax dollars are not being used to promote a ‘woke’ agenda,” Representative Cavitt said, “I have received concerns from multiple businesses located in my district, which encompasses six counties in Northern Michigan. It is my belief that every business deserves an equal opportunity to compete in the marketplace, irrespective of their beliefs or the nature of their operations.”

His response comes in the form of House Bill 4344, which would prohibit Michigan from awarding procurement contracts to businesses that engage in such discriminatory practices. The bill would ensure that Michigan remains a competitive state for all sectors of business to operate in for generations to come.  

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“The use of taxpayer dollars to reward companies that work against Michigan companies is completely unacceptable,” Cavitt said, “This bill protects Michigan businesses from discriminatory practices and ensures hard-earned taxpayer dollars are being used responsibly.”

This week, the House passed a series of laws pertaining to safe storage for firearms that also included language that could penalize non-compliant firearms dealers who must provide customers with a notice about firearm storage rules, regarding the risks of firearms and warning of the penalties for not complying with the safe storage laws. 

Previously, they had to post in a conspicuous manner at entrances, exits, and all points of sale on the premises where firearms are sold a notice that states “You may be criminally and civilly liable for any harm caused by a person less than 18 years of age who lawfully gains unsupervised access to your firearm if unlawfully stored.” Now the bill would require the notice to inform the reader that failing to store or leave a firearm in the manner required under the bill is unlawful. 

According to Cavitt, there are already more than 30 co-sponsors in the Legislature, including support from organizations such as the National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation Inc.