A gun seized by Oshkosh police. (OPD)
(WTAQ-WLUK) — New legislation is being introduced by Democratic lawmakers in Madison to try and curb gun violence.
The proposed legislation would ban firearms on all Wisconsin college and university campuses. The ban would not only be in effect inside buildings, but also on campus grounds.
It comes in the wake of last week’s fatal shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school.
“We have seen college students all over the country living in fear of gun violence and this is one reasonable gun safety regulation that we can take to make sure that young people are safer on camps,” State Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, said.
Currently, Wisconsin law says only K-12 school grounds and buildings are gun-free. This new legislation would include both public and private college and university campuses.
Roys and State Rep. Brienne Brown, D-Whitewater, proposed the legislation, calling it a “common sense approach.” They believe gun-free zones will help reduce mass shootings, suicides and improve personal safety.
“States that implement responsible gun safety regulations that are respectful of the rights of responsible gun owners and that the majority of gun owners support see a reduction in firearm injuries and deaths, and that’s really what this is about,” Roys said.
According to the Universities of Wisconsin policy, it’s already a violation for someone to carry, possess or use a dangerous weapon on university lands or buildings.
The new legislation would also ban weapons on campuses even for people with a concealed carry permit.
“Because of the unusual shape and size of college campuses, it’s going to put half a million lawful concealed carry owners at risk of inadvertently violating the law,” Wisconsin Firearm Owners Association President Rob Kovach said.
Kovach said the law would make it hard for people to know exactly where the gun-free zone begins and ends, especially in downtown settings. He’d like to see the law remain unchanged and said creating more gun-free zones is a dangerous move.
“Mass shooting events typically occur in gun-free zones. By expanding the gun-free zones, you’re enticing people who want to cause harm to others and giving them a venue that they know they will be free to engage in their violence against others,” Kovach said.
Roys wants to have the legislation passed this fall and hopes to have the law in place by next school year. Wisconsin is one of 11 states which does not have a ban on concealed carry on college campuses.
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