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Michigan Senate Blocks Gun Storage Vote

(CBS DETROIT) -- Michigan Senate Republicans are being met with heavy criticism following the decision to stall a vote on gun storage bills.

"This is urgent now because, again, we did nothing after the Oxford shootings, we did nothing after the Buffalo shootings and now we don't want to do anything today," said Sen. Rosemary Bayer, (D-Beverly Hills).

The vote comes a day after 21 people, including 19 children, were killed in a mass shooting at a Texas elementary school.

Six months ago, the Oxford community mourned the loss of four students.

Calls to Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirley's office were not returned, but Republican Sen. Ken Horn says it is a time for discussion, but no action.

"Breathe, just breathe, that's what these parents are going through. They don't give a flying frog what we do here in this Senate. Right now, they're not paying attention to us. It's way to early to sign bill numbers to their grief," said Sen. Ken Horn, (R-Frankenmuth).

"Safe storage laws, they make sure that if there's a gun in the home it has to be locked up to prevent it from being accessed by children. That's common sense, and when we've put those laws in place, gun violence, gun injuries and gun deaths for children go down by 50%," said Ryan Bates with End Gun Violence Michigan.

The Senate voted 22-14, along party lines.

The storage bills were referred back to the Government Operations Committee.

"Right now, here in Michigan, you can buy an assault rifle just like the one that was used in the Texas shooting with no background check. You can go to a gun show, and buy an assault rifle and you can have a criminal history and you can buy a weapon of war. All we need to do is change one word in Michigan's background check law to close that loophole," Bates said.

"Before the shooting in Texas yesterday, before that shooting was the longest period of time between Oxford and the next school shooting. Six months, of inaction," said Sen. Jeremy Moss, (D-Southfield).

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