Wisconsin Graded 'C-' For Gun Safety Laws As Homicides Rise: Giffords Law Center

MILWAUKEE, WI – Wisconsin’s gun laws were found lacking and permissive in a national gun law ranking from the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

Wisconsin was left with a “C-” grade for its gun safety laws in the Center's Annual Gun Law Scorecard. In 2021, 197 Milwaukee residents died by homicide, going beyond the homicide record set in 2020, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s homicide database. Gun-related homicides in Wisconsin rose by 64 percent from 2019 to 2020, the Giffords Law Center said.

Lawmakers in the Republican-controlled legislature introduced bills to allow concealed carry permit holders to have a gun in their car while on school grounds and for concealed carry holders from other states to carry a gun in Wisconsin. Both bills are making their way through the state senate and assembly, but Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is expected to veto the bills.

Evers announced that $25 million would go to violence prevention efforts, which slightly improved the state’s gun law grade. “This is another public health crisis that needs our attention and action, and like any public health issue, it starts with prevention,” Evers said in a statement.

More violence prevention funding and requiring universal background checks would boost Wisconsin’s grade, the law center said. Currently, Wisconsin is ahead of Ohio, which got a “D,” and behind Vermont, also a “C-.”

How Did Other States Compare?

California and New Jersey both had “A” grades, after California enacted a law to improve efforts to identify gun dealers involved in gun trafficking and New Jersey announced $10 million in funding for local community violence prevention, the law center said in a statement.

Iowa, Missouri and Montana all received “F” grades: Iowa had repealed a law that required background checks for private firearm sales, Missouri made police officers, public officials and private citizens liable for a fine up to $50,000 for enforcing federal gun laws and Montana passed a law allowing guns on college and university campuses.

“2021 was yet another year of crisis for our country. Too many communities had to reckon with the trauma and pain of surging gun violence, armed hate, and racial discrimination—all in the midst of the ongoing pandemic,” Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence executive director Robyn Thomas said. “What our Scorecard shows, year after year is that it is possible to take action to end this senseless violence. States with strong gun safety laws have fewer gun deaths—but illegal trafficking leaves residents of these states vulnerable.”

“This progress must extend to every single state across the nation. We hope the Gun Law Scorecard will continue to serve as a resource for our elected officials who understand that getting a passing grade can be a matter of life and death,” Thomas added.