Around 100 parents, students and community members gathered at the Wisconsin State Capitol to call on elected officials to enact gun control reforms.
On Oct. 21, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, two organizations that fight for public safety measures to protect people from gun violence, held their annual advocacy day. In their press conference, the organizations laid out their legislative priorities for the year and called on legislators to take action to prevent gun violence.
“We’re here today because Wisconsin families deserve better. They deserve better than gun violence shattering communities across the state,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action.
Gun violence is a preventable crisis, which causes Ferrell Zabala to be frustrated over the lack of action.
The organizations lobbied six different ways to mitigate the potential for gun violence, but their fight “isn’t against the Second Amendment,” Ferrell-Zabala said.
First, tax-free gun safes. The bill has been introduced by 15th Assembly District Rep. Adam Nylon and 21st District Senator Van Wanggaard. Moms and Students Demand Action site that proper storage of firearms — unloaded, locked and separate from ammo — is associated with an 18% lower risk of self-inflicted firearm injuries.
The second looks to increase the age for access to firearms from 14 years old to 18. The current law in place makes it criminally liable to recklessly store or leave a loaded firearm within easy access of a child under 14 years old. The bill has been introduced by Rep. Lisa Subeck and Sen. Chris Larson.
Other measures include universal background checks for all involved with a firearm transfer, prohibiting guns on college campuses, extreme risk protection to temporarily prevent those in crisis from purchasing or possessing firearms, and measures to better record firearm sales in gun shops.
For gun shops, the process would better track how firearms are distributed. Proposed legislation would require video recording of all sales, run criminal background checks on store employees, increase training to recognize signs of straw purchases, and the creation of a digital sales inventory for state law enforcement to use.
“That is a basic, very basic, responsible measure that will protect everyone,” Ferrell-Zabala said. “We know that this alone won’t end gun violence. We’re no fools. We need all sorts of common-sense laws.”
(Photo by Omar Waheed)
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway joined the press conference, noting Madison’s own struggles to prevent gun violence and talks with the police chief about solutions. Gun storage remains one of the most pressing issues for the city.
“One of the number one things that drives law enforcement crazy is people who store their guns in their cars,” Rhodes-Conway said. “We need to make sure that everyone both knows how to safely store their firearms and actually does it, because that’s not happening today.”
She urged lawmakers to act now to “stop the flow of illegal guns” and keep Wisconsin families safe.
“We do not have to choose between our rights and our safety. And anybody who frames the problem that way is lying.”
Members of the organization split off into teams after the press conference to try to speak with Wisconsin’s elected officials.
