MADISON, WI – Gun sales are at an all-time high, guns are in more places than ever before, and gun violence typically spikes during the hot summer months. To help ensure the safety of every Wisconsin community, Democratic lawmakers and Attorney General Kaul are calling for public hearings on three bills concerning safety provisions removed from Governor Evers’s budget by the Republican-led Joint Finance Committee. The bills being circulated for co-sponsorship today include:
· LRB 0110/1: Requiring background checks on every gun sale
· LRB 2727/1: Establishing an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO)
· LRB 3503/1: Safe Storage Incentive Bill
“We need to change the status quo to make Wisconsinites safer from violent crime,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “While there is no simple solution to gun violence, we must move forward with common-sense policies like universal background checks that can help keep firearms out of the hands of people who’ve been shown to be dangerous.”
A spokesperson for concerned health professionals noted, “As physicians, nurses, and public health professionals, we strive to keep our patients healthy in every way. In 2020, firearm-related injuries surpassed motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in the U.S. and Wisconsin. To address this crisis we believe the way forward is to adopt a comprehensive public health approach like what was done to reduce deaths and injuries from motor vehicle crashes. Policies that make our children safer, including safe gun storage in homes with children, is one component of this approach.”
Senator LaTonya Johnson added, “When my Republican colleagues on the Joint Finance Committee removed gun safety provisions from the state budget, their excuse was that these were non-fiscal items. Today, we heard from physicians, nurses, and public health professionals about the profound impact of gun violence on our community’s health, particularly on our children. If we can’t discuss these lifesaving measures as part of the state budget, then let’s give these proposals the public hearing they deserve.”
”Background checks are a crucial part of comprehensive gun violence prevention and are foundational for safe gun ownership.” added Rep. Shelia Stubbs. “Background checks must be respected as a necessary part of gun sales. I urge support of this critical legislation so that we can build a safer Wisconsin.”
“These laws are in place in red and blue states and have withstood legal challenges,’ said Rep. Deb Andraca. “If Republicans disagree with a majority of Wisconsin voters, they have the power to vote these common-sense bills down in committee. It’s just unacceptable to stand by and do nothing – especially when summer is here and lives are at stake.”
The bills being circulated today are overwhelmingly popular with Wisconsin voters. In fact, the latest Marquette poll found 83% of gun households and 88% of non-gun households support Extreme Risk Protection Orders. An April Fox News Poll showed 87% support background checks on all gun sales and 80% support for ERPO laws. The deadline for co-sponsorship for all three proposals is June 21, and we welcome our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to sign on in support.
