Citizens who meet the requirements of the concealed carry law will be allowed to bring a handgun to most state facilities, including the Capitol, when the law goes into effect this week.
By making concealed weapons available in nearly all state facilities, Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch said the original intention of the legislation is being upheld.
“The department has an obligation to uphold the intent and spirit of the law and, therefore, strong justification was required to prohibit concealed carry in state facilities,” Huebsch said in a statement released by the DOA Friday. “We looked closely at the wide range of services and programs the state provides, and have identified a limited number of locations that weapons will not be permitted.”
The statement said concealed guns will not be permitted in buildings providing services to individuals with disabilities or those with criminal histories. Buildings storing combustible materials will also be exempt from the concealed carry law.
The Wisconsin Senate will not allow firearms in its gallery on days the Senate is in session.
“The Senate currently has a number of rules for people,” Andrew Welhouse, spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, said. “Laptops, food and drink aren’t allowed in the gallery. This is going to be one more regulation that we add to that list.”
The statement said state employees will be allowed to carry a concealed gun if they have been licensed to do so.
According to Welhouse, whether the policy will take effect will be voted on Monday.
“The reason we passed the bill in the first place is to enhance a person’s ability to protect themselves,” Welhouse said. “Forty-eight other states have this same policy in place for their citizens, and we think it’s a reasonable ability to help people protect themselves.”
Julie Laundrie, spokesperson for Sen. John Erpenbach, D-Middleton, said both Senate and Assembly members will make their own decisions about whether concealed carry of a gun would be permitted in their respective offices.
Rep. Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, released a statement Monday in response to the DOA’s concealed carry policy.
Barca said in the statement that no elected official campaigned on the idea that concealed weapons should be allowed in the Capitol. He said Gov. Scott Walker’s focus should be on job creation.
Barca said in the statement that with regard to concealed weapons, Wisconsin has gone from being one of the most restrictive states to one of the least restrictive states. He said he supports the rights granted in the second amendment of the constitution, but said the lack of restrictions for concealed carry go to far.
Calls made to the office of the DOA, Walker, Rep. Stephen Nass, R-Whitewater, Rep. Kelda Roys, D-Madison and Mark Pocan, D-Madison, were not returned as of press time.
