LANSING, Mich. — Senate Republican Leader Aric Nesbitt, R-Porter Township, made the following statement Thursday after Senate Democrats passed bills to restrict gun rights and rejected a $1 billion investment to make schools and communities more secure from gun violence:
“We can all agree that there is a need to address the increasing pattern of violence we see across our communities. I get the passion, the anger, and the overwhelming desire to act, which is why we voted to invest $1 billion in school safety and for county prosecutors to strongly enforce our laws to punish gun violence. Our efforts need to be focused on efforts that can actually prevent gun violence. It cannot be doing something just to say we did something. We must work together to do the right things.
“We must increase the quality security options for our schools and places of learning — money to ensure the availability of resource officers, purchase necessary software and technology, and make our buildings safer. I was saddened that Democrats refused an amendment to make a $1 billion investment in this important and needed endeavor.
“In a world where we cannot predict when the next lost student or disturbed individual will target our children or our communities, it is essential that we work together on real solutions to better protect our schools and public spaces.
“We have to do better than the partisan bills passed today.”
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