MADISON, WI (Wisconsin Radio Network) – Democratic Governor Tony Evers and Democratic lawmakers have proposed universal background checks for gun purchases.
On Thursday, he called on Republican legislative leaders to support that.
“And if they don’t, they need to answer why they think firearms purchases should be different for different people. So that they’re constituents understand why they won’t take a reasonable, moderate step to make our communities safer.”
Republican legislative leaders have indicated little interest in passing this type of bill.
“Earlier this week, Republicans said they couldn’t weigh in on universal background checks because there wasn’t a bill. Well by god we’ve got one. And we have it today.”
Attorney General Josh Kaul says the state Department of Justice runs thousands of such checks annually, without infringing on the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
“There is a loophole that allows people – and that includes anybody – somebody who has been convicted of a violent felony, somebody who is subject to a domestic violence restraining order, to evade a background check.”
“The bottom line is that the vast majority of gun owners and Wisconsinites across our state agree with us,” Evers said.
The top Republican in the State Assembly says there’s “a near-zero chance” that Wisconsin will ever see a red flag law. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos met with Governor Tony Evers this week, and says they didn’t make much progress on gun control.
“The idea of a red flag law basically says we are going to take people’s constitutional rights away from them before they commit a crime because we could.”
Vos does want to keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them, buy says there’s no need to pass a new law that’s “full of political mumbo-jumbo.”
Vos says he’s willing to look at ideas about background checks or mental health laws, but is not too big on the idea of background checks.
“If, you know, in your will you want to leave your old shotgun down to your son, I don’t think you should have to go through some sort of gun registry to be able to prove that you are worthy of getting that weapon. So, there’s got to be some common sense in the middle and I think that’s what we are trying to find.”
The bill includes several exemptions, including for guns transferred as gifts or inheritance to family members. Polling indicates a majority of Wisconsin residents favor universal background checks.
