CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of suicide and/or self harm. If you have are experiencing thoughts of suicide or self harm, dial 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. View options for mental health services on campus through University Health Services.

A Republican-sponsored bill in the Wisconsin State Legislature, which includes provisions to preventing firearm-related suicide, must be passed. As the starting point for common-sense gun control in Wisconsin, this bill has the potential to help save lives.

In 2021, there were 888 suicides in Wisconsin, according to the National Alliance on Mental Health. Part of the tragedy of suicide is that with proper intervention and support, it can be prevented. The proposed bill, which considers mental health, could aid in suicide prevention in multiple ways.

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First, according to the Wisconsin State Journal, this bill would provide funding for firearm dealers to have temporary storage for gun owners. This would mean that if a gun owner was suffering from depression or a similar mental illness they could store their gun away from their house in a secure location. Storing it away from home would mean in a moment of despair, a gun would not be an option, and the owner could be more sufficiently protected.

More importantly, the bill would pay for firearm dealers’ employees to receive training in being able to recognize suicidal behaviors. This is the most important part of the bill because it is not reactive, but preventive. If trained dealers can assess the signs of someone who may be experiencing suicidal ideation or behaviors, they can decide not to sell them firearms in the first place.

Though there are many benefits of this bill, there is much work to be done on firearm-related deaths as a whole in the state and the country. According to the CDC, there were 717
deaths related to firearms in 2020 in Wisconsin alone.

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Firearm deaths are becoming a more prudent problem nationwide as the number of mass shootings increases, according to the BBC. Recently, this problem has posed particular concerns for university students, as there have been multiple mass shootings on university grounds, such as the February shooting at Michigan State University.

Only part of the answer to the problem is proper mental health screening. Only about 5%
of mass shootings are caused by severe mental illness, according to a study by Columbia Psychiatry. This means there is more work to be done and the rest of the answer relies on other gun control measures.

In a PBS poll, 72% of Americans supported the requirement of a certified license for any gun owner. This license would ensure that gun owners would be properly trained in how to utilize and care for their guns, and the list of those with licenses could be provided to the state government. This would make it much easier to find who owns firearms illegally and prevent deaths related to them.

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Many conservatives argue it is an infringement on the rights of people to provide
restrictions or screenings on gun ownership, according to the Washington Post. This argument is flawed, since on the other hand, when people who should not have access to firearms gain access, they are infringing on others’ rights to basic safety.

In the past, there have been numerous bills raised and even a special session held by
Wisconsin Democrats to combat firearm-related deaths. These attempts to combat our gun problem have been quickly thwarted by a Republican-majority Legislature. As a state, we need to stop allowing the supposed right to bear arms without restriction to needlessly take lives. Wisconsin should pass this bill and push for more legislation to prevent guns from being placed in the wrong hands.

Charles Zumbrunnen ([email protected]) is a freshman studying agricultural and applied economics.