MADISON – Today, Senator Howard Marklein, Co-Chair of the Joint Finance Committee, indicated that Republicans plan to remove several gun violence prevention measures from the state’s 2023-25 biennial budget. Senator Marklein further explained that the firearm safety proposals should be introduced as standalone legislation. State Senator Melissa Agard (D-Madison), Senate Democratic Leader, released the following statement:
“Every individual deserves to be free from gun violence, regardless of where they live, work, and play. It is disappointing to me that the Senate JFC Co-Chair has already stated, before any public hearings have even occurred, that several gun safety proposals would be removed from the state budget. We know that common sense gun safety reform is incredibly popular in Wisconsin, amongst Democrats and Republicans alike.
“Gun violence creates a massive fiscal liability in our local communities, costing the average resident $1,698 annually. The Joint Finance Committee can and should keep the Governor’s gun safety provisions in the budget to protect our communities, lessen the financial burden of gun violence, and keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals.
“I call on my Republican colleagues to keep these vital, life-saving provisions in the Governor’s budget, and if they do choose to remove them, I welcome their assistance moving the standalone bills through the legislative process and to Governor Evers’ desk to be signed into law.”
