The state Assembly is expected to vote today on legislation legalizing the concealed carry of weapons in Wisconsin. The bill passed in the state Senate earlier this month creates a permit system and requires training to carry concealed guns and other weapons.
Jeri Bonavia with the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE) says there are still concerns though about how safe the public will be under the system set up by the bill. Bonavia says the legislation is full of loopholes and Republicans have failed to set up proper safeguards to protect people.
Bonavia says the training requirements are among one of their main concerns. While many options require an effort on the part of permit seekers, she says others are fairly simple and don’t really do enough to educate carriers. She says most of the training options are “pretty much a joke,” such as online training that requires little more than “clicking the next button.”
Republicans have argued concealed carry was a big issue in their districts while they were out on the campaign trail. However, Bonavia says there are still a large number of people who believe it is not needed and the GOP is ignoring their wishes by pushing ahead with the bill.
Wisconsin and Illinois are the only two states that ban concealed carry.
