MI: Legislation introduced to restore adult supervision requirement for minors handling BB guns

[RandySF]

A bill has been introduced to require that an adult be present when minors use pneumatic guns outside their own home or yard.

Introduced Thursday by Rep. Julie M. Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), House Bill 4184 would cover BB, paintball and pellet guns.

“Allowing kids to use BB guns unsupervised can have life-threatening consequences,” said Rogers. “All too often, these guns are treated as toys, without regard to the dangers they pose. As with all types of guns, adult supervision for children to ensure they are following safety precautions is necessary for everyone’s well-being.”

Statistics cited by Rogers indicate nearly 10,000 Americans are injured with BB and pellet guns every year, and a majority of those injured are under the age of 18.

Until 2015, it was a misdemeanor in Michigan for a minor to use or possess a pneumatic gun outside their home or yard unless accompanied by an adult.



https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/legislation-introduced-restore-adult-supervision-requirement-minors-handling-bb-guns

[roamer65]

1. Good law.

When I was a little Michigander, I only used mine on my parents property.

I only shot one bird with it. I felt so bad about it after I never shot birds again…EVER.

[Victor_c3]

4. All of our parents had a rule that if we shot it, we had to eat it

Not my parents, but everyone who I knew growing up had parents that were avid hunters.

I don’t recall any of us ever shooting a bird or a squirrel.

[Victor_c3]

2. Probably not a bad idea

I grew up “playing” with BB guns - we definitely treated them as toys. But then again, we also learned to treat weapons with respect and awareness. We never went off of our own property with them, but between my yard and the properties of my friend’s, we had many acres to run around in basically unsupervised.

We also ran around the woods with hatchets and axes, cutting down trees and building forts. One of my friends cut off a bunch of his toes…

[dem4decades]

3. They'll shoot their eyes out.

[walkingman]

5. An excellent idea - I grew up with BB guns and lots of kids were injured

neighborhood BB gun "wars". Kids are not responsible people and if parents are held responsible a lot of injuries would stop. And yes, losing an eye is a very real possibility.