A series of NRA-backed bills making firearms records confidential has been signed into law by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder.

According to the press release, the passing of the Firearms Records Confidentiality Package — comprised of Senate Bills 49, 834 and 881 and House Bills 4155, 5325 and 5328 — means that firearms records would be exempt from requests under the Freedom of Information Act, and would only be accessible to law enforcement officials for use during investigations. The package passed in both the Michigan Senate and the House of Representatives with bipartisan support.

“Gun owners’ information should be protected from unscrupulous media organizations that print personal information in an effort to ostracize law-abiding individuals who are simply exercising a constitutional right,” said Chris W. Cox, Executive Director of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action.

As the press release notes, the Firearms Records Confidentiality Package requires that information submitted to the government for firearms licensing, registration and concealed carry permitting be confidential and exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.

“On behalf of the NRA’s five million members, I would like to thank Governor Snyder and the bills’ sponsors, Senators Tom Casperson, Geoff Hansen and Phil Pavlov, and Representatives Aric Nesbitt, Hugh Crawford and Kevin Cotter for ensuring that law-abiding gun owners are protected from unwarranted scrutiny and discrimination merely for exercising their fundamental, constitutional right to Keep and Bear Arms,” Cox added.

Read more: http://www.nraila.org