Michigan Lame Duck Bill Seeks to Ban ‘Deceptively Colored Firearms’

Michigan Democrats had the governor’s mansion and the House, which means they had the leverage to make Republicans do at least some of what they wanted in the Senate. After all, if they wanted anything to get done, they had to play ball, because the legislative process was sort of bracketed by Democrats.

But those same Democrats are about to lose the House. They lost in the election, after all, and so soon, Republicans will control both chambers.

That means lame-duck bills, which include a lot of gun control measures. One, however, has sort of slipped a lot of people’s attention. I only know about this because a friend sent it to me.

It seems that Michigan Democrats think we have a big problem with “deceptively colored firearms” and have introduced a bill to ban them.

Michigan Democrats are rushing to approve top priorities before Republicans take over in January, including purging the state of pink pistols.

Sen. Dayna Polehanki, D-Livonia, introduced Senate Bill 1134 on Tuesday to ban the sale, purchase, transfer, ownership, possession and transport of “a deceptively colored firearm.”

“An individual who violates this section or any rule promulgated under this section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $500,” the legislation reads.

The term “deceptively colored firearm” is defined by SB 1134 as “a firearm of which a substantial portion of the exterior surface is any color other than black, brown, dark grey, dark green, silver, steel, or nickel.”

The bill would further outlaw “covert firearms” that are designed to look like something else, as well as “deceptive coloring products” that are “intended to be used alone or in combination with another product to modify a firearm to make it a deceptively colored firearm.”

Firearms would be considered deceptive if more than half of the exterior surface is not one of the specified colors.

Good to know Democrats in Michigan aren’t interested in wasting anyone’s time with nonsense.

Now, I’ve seen claims that criminals are painting guns to look like toy guns, ostensibly because if a cop sees a brightly-colored gun in someone’s waistband, they’re not going to think anything of it. Of course, if I see a guy in his late teens or early 20s walking around with what looks like a toy, I’m going to ask questions, but that’s just me.

Regardless, the claims are common, but I haven’t seen a lot of evidence for this actually happening.

Instead, we have law-abiding citizens who get their guns treated in various ways that amuse them. I’ve seen a Glock cerakoted to look like a Nintendo light gun and I’ve seen others treated to mimic the colors and aesthetics of Boba Fett, to say nothing of the thousands of other examples of people who have camouflaged their firearms, which includes colors that some would argue don’t fall under those particular colors.

Plus, some companies make guns that are most definitely not in this color scheme. For example, Magnum Research sells the tiger-striped gold Desert Eagle, which would be illegal. Then, on the other extreme, Hi-Point sells some handguns with money on the guns. Again, that would be illegal.

And look at what kind of crime it would be. The bill seeks to make it a misdemeanor, for crying out loud. It’s just enough to keep law-abiding people from doing it without having any impact on criminals.

All in all, this is probably the most idiotic bill that no one asked for. That’s not even touching on the fact that the right to keep and bear arms has no warranted restrictions on coloring your gun however you want.

Michigan Democrats have a lot to do if they want to cram some things through this lame-duck session. I’m pretty sure this won’t be anyone’s priority, though.