Wisconsin on step closer to concealed carry

Today the state Senate passed SB214, the Personal Protection Act concealed carry bill, by a margin of 24 to 8 votes.


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In the Senate, those who voted for the bill were Republican Senators Lasee,

Cowles, Reynolds, Darling, Leibham, Harsdorf, Kedzie, Breske, Fitzgerald, Welch, Schultz, Roessler, Ellis, Panzer, Stepp, Zien, Lazich, Brown,

Kanavas, and Democrat Senators Wirch, Lassa, Plale, Breske, Decker and Meyer. Senator Gary George was not present.



Voting against the bill were Senators Carpenter, Moore, Robson, Chvala, Jauch, Risser, Erpenbach, and Hansen.



The bill was supposed to have been taken up on Wednesday, but one Milwaukee senator in particular succeeded in delaying the bill in committee Tuesday evening. Then the bill was supposed to have been taken up around 11am yesterday, but primarily because of the actions of that same Milwaukee senator on the school choice bill on Wednesday evening, every bill scheduled for the day was delayed by several hours. Last evening, the senate leadership decided to take up the bill at 7am this morning.



The Assembly Criminal Justice Committee will be voting on the bill next week, where it is expected to pass. It will then be sent to the general Assembly, where it’s also expected to pass. Then, once the bill is delivered to Governor Doyle’s desk, it’s almost certain that he will veto it.



We can see by today’s Senate activity that we can get the votes to override Doyle’s veto. We can also get the override votes in the Assembly. In other words, we can win.



Now is not the time to be complacent or lazy, nor is it the time to be pessimistic or indifferent. It’s the time to act. We’re in the final stages of a ten-year effort to get concealed carry for Wisconsin. The anti-gun forces can still try to use the tactics of delay and obstruction. We have to keep every vote that’s been won. Governor Doyle will be exerting enormous pressure to get Democrats to change their minds. Whether or not we win depends upon all of us, and all of our gunowner friends.



We need to get everyone we know to write and call their legislators. There’s no time to waste, since the override sessions will likely come very quickly after the Assembly vote. If you don’t know who your legislators are, go to http://www.legis.state.wi.us/waml to find out. Your friends without internet access can call 1-800-362-9472 to be transferred to their legislators’

offices.



This isn’t just about people being able to carry concealed. This is about taking back the gun rights that we’ve lost over the last 35 years. It’s about a process of returning rights to every gunowner–deer hunter, duck hunter, trap shooter, pistol shooter, military rifle shooter, benchrest shooter or just plain plinker. When gunowners stand united, we win. This is about facing down the Sarah Brady’s, Ted Kennedy’s and Chuck Schumer’s in this country and letting them know that WE hold the power.



Let’s light up the phone lines!



And please forward this to every gunowner you know.



Thanks,

The Wisconsin Concealed Carry Association