Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order establishing the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention Tuesday, Jan. 14.
The order came approximately a month after the Abundant Life Christian School shooting where three were killed, including a student, a teacher and the perpetrator.
There were 503 mass shootings in the United States in 2024, according to the Gun Violence Archive. GVA defines a “mass shooting” as an incident where a minimum of four victims are injured or killed, not including the shooter.
The Office of Violence Prevention will be responsible for connecting state and local government agencies, supporting and providing technical assistance to local violence prevention efforts, promoting community violence intervention efforts, developing public education campaigns and administering award grants to support violence reduction initiatives, according to the order.
Evers announced he is directing $10 million toward the office so it can begin its work without waiting for the conclusion of the biennial budget process. This funding will ensure the office becomes permanent in state government. He also said his 2025-27 Executive Budget will provide his most robust and comprehensive gun safety reform efforts yet, according to a press release.
“I have said from the beginning that I would never accept gun violence as a foregone reality or stop working to change it,” Evers said at a press conference Tuesday. “Violence, including gun violence, is a statewide problem, with statewide consequences for people and families across our state.”
State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) criticized the order in a pre-session press conference. He called for a need in police and public safety and services funding and questioned the potential efficiency of the new office.
“It takes a bureaucrat to think another government agency is actually going to be effective,” Vos said.
Vos claimed the Assembly would not approve state funding for the office.