Wisconsin Democrats propose gun safety legislation

Just days after the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, which resulted in the deaths of two children and the injuring of 21 other people, Wisconsin Democrats proposed a bill prohibiting the concealed carry of firearms on all colleges and universities in Wisconsin. 

“Campuses have higher rates of suicidal ideation, drug & alcohol abuse, and mental illness,” said State Representative Lee Snodgrass, who supports the proposed legislation. “Schools that still allow concealed carry see accidental shootings. Thirty-six other states have banned concealed carry on campuses. Ensuring that students do not have ready access to firearms will save lives.” 

In 2023, there were an estimated 762 gun deaths in Wisconsin, a rate of 12.7 per 100,000 people. Guns are the leading cause of death for children and teens, with suicides accounting for approximately two-thirds of all gun deaths.  

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, the rate of gun deaths increased by 54 percent from 2014 to 2023 following the passage of the concealed carry law in Wisconsin compared to a 34 percent increase nationwide over that same time period.

Wisconsin is a "shall-issue" state for concealed carry permits, meaning that the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) is required to issue a license to any eligible applicant who meets the specific legal requirements. The law took effect in 2011.

Wisconsin’s concealed carry law does prohibit people from being armed in certain buildings owned by the state, including police stations, prisons, courthouses, and schools. If someone violates this law, they are guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. But the statute does not include college or university buildings.

'Students want and need to feel safe ...'

Colleges do have the option, under state law, to post a notice on a building to prevent someone from entering with a firearm. In such a case, a person, even with a license, would be guilty of trespassing and is subject to a Class B forfeiture not to exceed $1,000.

The University of Wisconsin system policy does prohibit people from carrying, possessing or using any dangerous weapon on university property and in university buildings and facilities, including dorms.

“We can all agree that our students want and need to feel safe in their learning environment—and on a campus where learning is occurring both in and out of the classroom,” Senator Kristin Dassler-Alfheim said in a statement. “Our universities and campuses take this responsibility seriously and already prohibit guns in certain buildings on campus. This legislation allows for recognition and protection of the wider campus space as well.”

The proposed legislation allows exceptions for a law enforcement officer, for military personnel in the line of duty, and for someone who possesses the firearm for use in a school-sponsored program.

Wisconsin Democrats have also recently introduced several other gun safety bills, including requiring a 48-hour waiting period to purchase a gun, prohibiting undetectable firearms (ghost guns), requiring gun owners to store their firearms in a safe if they live with a child, and prohibiting the sale of firearms without a background check and going through a federally licensed firearms dealer.

Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill to create a sales-tax exemption for gun safes to encourage more gun owners to purchase them and another bill that would allow teachers to carry guns in the classroom as a way to address school shootings.

On the federal level, Congressman Tony Wied has introduced the Freedom from Improper Regulation and Enforcement (FIRE) Act. This legislation would prohibit any federal agency from restricting firearm magazines based on capacity as well as making it unlawful for states and localities to enact or enforce capacity restrictions on any firearm magazines.