GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A Green Bay alderman wants another month before deciding whether the city should have a policy for guns in city buildings. Right now there isn’t one.
The delay was agreed upon Thursday night without a formal input session from the public.
Alderman Randy Scannell wanted to recommend a rule that only concealed carry weapons be allowed inside city buildings like city hall.
But, there is some question whether state law would allow that.
Scannell now wants to talk to state legislators about whether his recommendation is legal or whether state law could be changed.
Supporters of carrying a weapon, like Ed Foral tell WLUK they recommend simply posting a sign asking gun owners to conceal their weapon.
“I don’t think they have the support from the council to pass a ban of all weapons. I don’t think that would fly. Their only chance is if they would try a compromise.”
However, Scannell says a request without law leaves room for people to disobey the request without penalty.
“There is not teeth to that. That might work. It might not work, but if it doesn’t work there is nothing you can do about it. Someone could still show up open carrying, maybe even purposely to try to intimidate someone.”
Out of the state’s ten largest cities, Green Bay and Waukesha are the only ones that allow people to bring weapons into city buildings.