MADISON, WI – The summer months often see increased rates of violence in communities across our state. Following a Memorial Day weekend where numerous Wisconsinites were injured or lost their lives in gun-related tragedies, Wisconsin Gun Safety Coalition Co-Chairs Representative Shelia Stubbs, Representative Deb Andraca, Senator LaTonya Johnson, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, Senator Chris Larson, legislators, healthcare providers, and community advocates gathered to introduce a package of common-sense gun safety legislation to protect all communities throughout Wisconsin. The bills being circulated for co-sponsorship today are:
- LRB 0827/1& LRB1276/1 : Requiring background checks on every gun sale
- LRB 0829/1 & LRB 3082/1:48-Hour Waiting Period for handgun sales
- LRB 1598/1& LRB 3517/1: Establishing an Extreme Risk Protection Order
- LRB 3342/1 & LRB 3489/1: Prohibiting Ghost Guns
“These bills provide for common-sense steps that would help keep Wisconsinites safe from gun violence,” said Attorney Josh Kaul. “The legislature should finally take these measures up and pass them.”
“Firearms are now the leading cause of death for children in our state,” said Dr. Kellie Snooks, DO, MPH. “As summer approaches, we have a critical opportunity to protect Wisconsin’s children from gun-related injuries by passing common sense gun safety laws and a public health approach to gun violence. By working together, we can address this crisis and ensure every child in Wisconsin has a #SafeSummer.”
“Healthcare professionals agree: firearm injury and death are a public health crisis. Research tells us that those at greatest risk of suicide by firearms are older men in rural areas,” said Dr. Sophie Kramer, MD, FACP. “In Wisconsin, suicide is taking the lives of our veterans, our farmers, and even our law enforcement officers.”
“There is no space in our society untouched by gun violence. From our schools to our parks and from our workplaces to our places of worship, there is no escaping the fact that people in our communities are losing their lives every day in gun-related incidents,” said Representative Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison). “Common-sense gun safety legislation saves lives and has majority approval among our constituents—we cannot afford one more tragedy in our state.”
“I serve on the Joint Finance Committee, and year after year I’ve watched Republicans cut out every single gun safety proposal from the state budget. And year after year, we see more families bury their babies. So here we are again, hearts broken in grief, begging the Legislature to take action before the next funeral,” stated Senator LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee).
“These laws are in place in red and blue states and have withstood every legal challenge,” said Representative Deb Andraca (D-Whitefish Bay). “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 do nothing, especially when summer is here and lives are at stake.”
“Every suicide is a preventable death. Sadly, gun suicides in Wisconsin increased by 52% between 2014 and 2022, when 532 lives were tragically cut short. Last year, we lost one of the most stalwart advocates for mental health care and gun reform to gun suicide – my dear friend Jonathan Brostoff,” stated Senator Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee). “If Wisconsin had a waiting period in place, he may very well still be alive. The time for excuses is over – it’s time to start saving lives.”
“As legislators, it is our duty to take steps towards protecting Wisconsin from the threat posed by gun violence. Undetectable firearms, otherwise known as Ghost Guns, pose a grave risk to our communities,” said Representative Alex Joers (D-Middleton). “This is something that Middleton learned first-hand in 2018, when an undetectable firearm was used in a distressing active shooter incident. These firearms need to be regulated so we can avoid these scenarios in the future and create a safer Wisconsin.”
“Common sense gun laws save lives, prevent heartbreaking tragedies, and make communities safer,” said Senator Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton), the Democratic Leader in the Senate. “In Wisconsin, the rate of gun deaths increased 54% from 2014 through 2023, a full 20% more than the increase nationally. In the face of so much grief created by gun violence, it is incomprehensible that Republicans refuse to support these effective measures.”
“Having been involved in the gun violence prevention movement for many years, I am thrilled to be a part of the introduction of legislation that will address this very preventable problem,” said Representative Joan Fitzgerald (D-Fort Atkinson). “Research shows that these measures reduce gun violence and keep our families and communities safe. We must act now.”
Representative Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison), Senator LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee), and Representative Deb Andraca (D-Whitefish Bay) co-chair the legislative Gun Safety Coalition. Joining the Attorney General and legislative leaders were representatives from the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE), Moms Demand Action, Focused Interruption, All of Us Or None, the 80% Coalition/ Forward Latino, the medical community, and the student community.
