Rep. Deb Andraca (D-Whitefish Bay) introduced a bill Jan. 18 that would prohibit firearms on university campuses, according to the proposal statement. Current Wisconsin law prohibits firearms in certain public buildings, but it does not apply to Wisconsin university buildings, Andraca said.

Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) expanded on the current legislation surrounding gun safety in Wisconsin. K-12 schools are covered by the gun-free school zones law, and the goal of Andraca’s bill would be to ensure all students are protected from gun violence, Roys said.

“I think it’s very clear that young people do not want to live under the shadow of gun violence,” Roys said. “Unfortunately, people who are in college today have grown up where school shootings are the norm.”

All public and private colleges would come under the protection of gun-free school zones, Roys said. But, there are exceptions for courses designed to teach firearm safety. For example, students who are in school for law enforcement, target shooting or other special cases do not fall under the jurisdiction of the bill, Roys said.

Over the last decade, young people have completely transformed the debate on gun safety, Roys said. For young people who want to see this protection, it is very important to contact their legislators and voice their concerns, she said.

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“It has made a huge difference in the politics of this issue, to have the voices of young people who are affected by not just gun violence, but the fear of gun violence and how it changes your perception of your own safety,” Roys said.

There is large consensus among Democratic and Republican voters consensus around gun safety in schools, Roys said. But legislative Republicans are unlikely to support a bill that increases restrictions on firearms.

If the bill is formally introduced and co-sponsors sign it, leadership in the Senate and the Assembly would assign it to committees. From there, the committee members would decide whether or not to hold a public hearing on this legislation, Roys said.

Once the bill is assigned to committees, it would be the ideal time for people to direct their advocacy efforts into asking them to hold a hearing on the bill, Roys said.

“We really need to hear those voices,” Roys said. “There are a lot of legislators who aren’t yet willing to do the right thing but might be if they see it’s also the politically smart thing to do.”

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to clarify that there is consensus around gun safety between Democratic and Republican voters, but not necessarily among Republicans in the State Legislature.