Michigan Voters Weigh In On Extreme Risk Protection Orders In New Poll

DETROIT (WWJ) - A recent EPIC MRA poll asked Michigan voters how they feel about 'extreme risk protection' orders. Under the extreme risk protection order firearms can be confiscated from people who are found to be at risk-- allowing families and law enforcement to petition a court to temporarily suspend their access to guns.

The majority of people polled were in favor of the law says Bernie Porn EPIC MRA president.

"A 70 percent - solid majority report supports that bill - including 39 percent who strongly support it, and we think that this is legislation that because of the level of support - in a bipartisan way - that this can be an important part of the solution to problem of gun violence."

He says a number of other states have developed extreme risk protection orders in one form or another.

"Take the opportunity, if someone is troubled, and their family member or police observe this to temporarily take the gun away -- and the person can, in fact, contest that but it's done in a court of law."

In response to questions regarding more stringent regulations to buy guns - the vote was a layered response to support.

"Pretty evenly split, with 35 percent saying, in order to address gun violence they felt that we needed more strict requirements to buy guns and 37 percent said that we should be preventing people with mental health issues from getting guns -- with another 20 percent saying that both approaches should be used," said Porn.

The poll was commissioned by the Michigan Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

In Michigan, Gov. Rick Snyder reaffirmed his support for "red flag" legislation that would let law enforcement or family members go to court to seek the removal of guns from dangerous people, "as long as it's done with due process." Snyder appears less open, however, to increasing Michigan's minimum age to buy guns, which currently is age 18. He spoke to reporters about his administration's study of "best practices" across the U.S. to combat gun violence in the wake of deadly shootings at a Florida high school and at Central Michigan University.