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MADISON, Wis. – Law-abiding gun owners would no longer be required to obtain a license in order to carry a concealed firearm in Wisconsin, under a bill being circulated for sponsorship.
The Right To Carry Act, co-authored by state Sen. David Craig, R-Town of Vernon, and state Rep. Mary Felzkowski(formerly Mary Czaja) R-Irma, “simplifies state law while reducing the cost to citizens who chose to protect themselves and their families,” according to a co-sponsorship memo sent out Tuesday morning.
“The current license structure limits those who follow the law and presents administrative and cost barriers to self-protection,” the memo states. “With this bill, we make carrying more affordable and provide greater freedom for those who obey the law while maintaining stiff penalties for criminals who commit crimes with firearms.”
Wisconsin would become at least the 15th state to adopt a “constitutional carry” law, should the Republican-controlled Legislature pass the measure and Republican Gov. Scott Walker sign it.
Wisconsin became the 49th concealed carry state in 2011 when Walker signed Act 35.
More than five years later, the Badger State has issued more than 300,000 concealed carry licenses, making the “clear case to move Wisconsin forward and expand state law to reflect the constitutional right to carry a weapon in self-defense,” Craig and Felzkowski assert in the legislative memo.