APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Wisconsin Democrats are proposing a “red flag” gun law.
It would let police and family members act to remove guns from people who show signs of hurting themselves or others.
“Some communities have been devastated by mass shootings. That includes here in Wisconsin,” said Democratic state Attorney General Josh Kaul.
Kaul spoke in Appleton on Tuesday to promote the “Extreme Risk Protection Law.”
“If somebody is presenting clear signs that they are maybe going to potentially commit suicide, or if they made clear indications that they are going to commit some act of violence, a household member family member or law enforcement would be able to use this process to intervene, essentially,” said Kaul.
The so-called “red flag law” would remove all guns from that person for 72 hours. The law would allow officers to intervene quickly but the long term decision to take away a firearm would be left up to a judge. A judge would be able to prohibit them from having a gun for up to a year.
Police and city leaders in the Fox Valley joined Kaul in support for the law.
“When you have somebody who suffers from a mental health issue and they’re in crisis we need all the tools we can reach to,” said Oshkosh Police Chief Dean Smith.
In a statement from Republicans, State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos called taking away lawfully owned firearms unacceptable. The statement said in part, “It is widely known that we believe this legislation poses threats to due process and the 2nd amendment rights of law-abiding citizens”
Some gun owners think the law has clear enough standards to remove a gun from someone.
“How do you determine if someone truly being a threat to themselves or others? What’s the criteria to determine that?” said George Butz, owner of Trigger Action Sports in Little Chute. “It gives a person the ability to take away something from another person based on their emotions or opinion rather than facts to back it up.”
Kaul says he wants to have listening sessions before the bill goes to the floor, to hear other ideas people may have. Seventeen other states currently have similar “red flag” gun laws.
