At 2:45 this morning, the State Assembly amended and passed SB214, the Personal Protection Act concealed carry bill, by a margin of 64 to 35 votes. 57 of 59 Republicans voted for the bill. Republican Representatives Olsen and Townsend voted against it. Assembly Democrats who voted for the bill were Representatives Gronemus, Schneider, Sherman, Steinbrink, Van Akkeren, Vruwink, and Wayne Wood. Opponents of the bill drafted over 70 amendments to try to kill the bill. One amendment would have restricted concealed carry to one's home or business, and nowhere else. Representative David Cullen (D-Milwaukee) wanted to have an amendment that would prohibit carry in the city of Milwaukee. One amendment to the bill would have made carrying in a prohibited place a felony, instead of a minor misdemeanor under the current bill. Wander into the wrong place by accident, and lose your right to vote and own guns. Representative Spencer Black (D-Madison) tried to add an amendment that would make it a crime to walk within 1,000 feet of a school if you were carrying concealed, an act that's pretty hard to avoid if you live or work within 1/5th of a mile of a school. One opponent--again, Representative Spencer Black (D-Madison)-- actually claimed that a concealed carry permit holder might shoot a nuclear reactor, resulting in a nuclear meltdown that would endanger the state or the nation. If you as a law-abiding gunowner aren't insulted by their claims that you'll destroy our country and kill our children if allowed to carry, you darned well should be. If adopted, any or all of the above amendments would have made concealed carry permits absolutely useless, since the amendments would ban carry almost anywhere. In order to gain the support of certain legislators, Representative Gunderson offered the following amendments: reciprocity with other states will be determined by the Department of Justice based on those states having similar training requirements; stun guns will not be allowed under the concealed carry bill without special training; tear gas will not be allowed under the bill (mere possession of tear gas is already prohibited under current state law, not to mention the Geneva Convention's rules of warfare); restaurants that serve alcohol will be off-limits for concealed carry; healthcare facilities will be off-limits for concealed carry. The bill must now go back to the senate to reconcile the two versions of the bills. The closeness of today's vote--and the concessions that needed to be made-- underscore just how important it is that all gunowners keep pressure on their legislators. We need to make sure that at least four of the six Senate Democrats who voted for the bill on October 24th will not change their votes. And we need to keep every member of the Assembly on our side, and put pressure on those representatives who--every election--claim to be for the "rights of hunters and sportsmen." The right to keep and bear arms has nothing to do with shooting ducks or deer or geese or clays or tin cans or paper targets. It has everything to do with the right to keep and bear the arms with which to do so. Whether or not we win depends upon the number of gunowners calling and writing their legislators. We are now within inches of the goal line, and we cannot afford to let up. If you don't know who your legislator is, go to http://www.legis.state.wi.us/waml and enter your address and town. Your friends without internet access can call 1-800-362-9472 (9am to 5pm) and they'll be transferred to their legislators' offices. If you've already written, call. If you've already called, call again. Get everyone you know to call. Again, if we do not win this fight in the next few weeks, it will be at least 2007 before the bill will be introduced again. If Governor Doyle wins re-election in 2006, then we may not see the bill introduced again until 2011. Also again, this is not just about people carrying concealed handguns. It's about people in rural areas who are now law-breakers because they carry their buck knives in their pockets. It's about rifle and shotgun shooters who carry their cased longguns on the passenger seat of their trucks. It's about all of us as gunowners and law-abiding citizens. This year, citizens in Wisconsin have gotten closer to having legal concealed carry than at any time in history. Now let's finish the job by winning! Thanks, The Wisconsin Concealed Carry Association

those amendments piss me off, watered down

How long before it goes back to the senate? and will there be enough votes to overide the veto.

Senate should have enough, as long as nobody switches their vote.

Assembly is going to be 2 votes short. I don't think Townsed will change is vote, he is VERY ANTI-GUN.

KEEP CALLING YOUR REPS!

If you are a dumbass and haven't called DO IT NOW!

Av.

One opponent--again, Representative Spencer Black (D-Madison)-- actually claimed that a concealed carry permit holder might shoot a nuclear reactor, resulting in a nuclear meltdown that would endanger the state or the nation.

[bullhorn on] Spencer Black, step away from the bong! [bullhorn off]

Quoted: Senate should have enough, as long as nobody switches their vote. Assembly is going to be 2 votes short. I don't think Townsed will change is vote, he is VERY ANTI-GUN. KEEP CALLING YOUR REPS! If you are a dumbass and haven't called DO IT NOW! Av.

Called twice, faxed twice, and even sent two emails, all today from work. Thing is Turner won't listen. I tried thats all i can do.

Probably the best hope is for some political pork to be tossed to the 2 refusnik GOP reps, or maybe Olsen and some borderline Dem...

Find a Democrat or two with a bill that needs to pass, and say 'we'll help you, change your vote'...

OR

I don't know about you, but maybe a sunset ammendment (think AWB) might pacify enough Assembly Dems to 'give it a try' for 5yrs (one full permit cycle)... 'Hey, if you're right and it's 'bad', it will just die. But if we're right and it's good law (like the rest of the country) it will get reauthorized'...

Foot in the door, you know...