Senator Jon Erpenbach on Scott Walker’s announcement on community gun safety measures

Following yet another mass shooting, some in politics are struggling to put together their plans for common sense public safety gun reform. Democrats in the Legislature, however, have already had their agenda for community safety ready to go.

Not all politicians are doing nothing. I stand ready as I always have to work with anyone for common sense reforms to make our communities safer.

Constituents including students, teachers, faith leaders and parents have asked the Legislature for change for years. We have answered with bills that do not move because of Republican control in the Legislature.

Our proposals are not radical. We all have to commit to working together because everyone deserves to be safe in school, in church, in public places and in our homes.

Below is an outline of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s gun control agenda.

Revenue limit exemptions for school safety plans. Providing a revenue limit exemption for school safety expenditures would allow schools to best address their unique safety needs (SB 858)

Prohibit the sale, manufacture, transfer, use or possession of bump stocks. Bump stocks are devices that, when affixed to a firearm, rapidly accelerate the rate of fire for semi-automatic weapons. There is no justification to have a bump stock and they put our communities in danger (AB 616). 

Prohibit individuals convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor from possessing a firearm. Wisconsin has no laws prohibiting individuals convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors from purchasing or possessing firearms or ammunition and no laws requiring the removal of firearms at the scene of a domestic violence incident. According to End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin, firearms are the most common means of perpetrating domestic violence homicides in our state and the presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide for women by 500 percent (SB 563/AB 597).

Reinstate the 48 Hour Waiting Period. Waiting periods are proven to prevent impulsive crimes as well as suicide. Cooling off periods allow people the time to get the help they need before ending their life or someone else’s (AB 74).

Institute Universal Background Checks. Background checks have stopped sales to domestic abusers, fugitives, and other people who are prohibited from possessing a firearm. Without universal background checks in place, more guns will get into the hands of the people we all agree should not be armed (SB 34/AB 65).