As you may have seen, the Wisconsin Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety will revisit a proposal Tuesday that would dismantle Wisconsin’s permit requirement for carrying a concealed handgun. The hearing comes despite Gov. Scott Walker’s comments in support of the existing permit requirement.
The proposal being discussed in executive session Tuesday, SB 169, is a reckless bill that would eliminate Wisconsin’s permit requirement and allow people to carry hidden, loaded handguns in public without a permit or safety training. SB 169 has received widespread criticism from Wisconsin’s law enforcement officials.
More information on SB 169 is available here.
Polling conducted earlier this year by Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and the Wisconsin chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America shows that 91 percent of respondents – including 86 percent of gun owners – said they support the current Wisconsin law.
Wisconsin is one of 38 states that require a license to carry a concealed handgun in public. Of the 28 states that have considered permitless carry this year, 20 states have rejected such legislation and only two have enacted it. Wisconsin is one of six states in which permitless carry legislation remains pending. In addition to public safety officials in Wisconsin, law enforcement officials in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, West Virginia, Missouri and Indiana have all expressed concerns about permitless carry.
The list of groups that have registered opposition to SB 169 includes the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators, the city of Milwaukee and the Wisconsin Council of Churches. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s editorial board has weighed in as well.
If you have any questions on the proposed legislation, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
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