Emergency Rules Extended for Concealed Carry Permits

A state legislative committee has approved a 60-day extension of the emergency rules for issuing permits for people to carry concealed weapons. The state Department of Justice says, without the rules extension, it would be impossible to revoke permits from people who commit crimes.

The emergency rules extension comes just two days after the Department of Justice submitted proposed permanent concealed carry rules to Governor Walker. DOJ attorney Stephen Means says until the Governor sends those more comprehensive permanent rules to the legislature, and they are voted on, the state needs some basis for continuing to issue permits. He says this is also true for revoking permits for people who abuse the privilege of their concealed carry rights. “If for example we were informed that a license holder got a domestic battery conviction or were otherwise convicted of a crime under which they were no longer entitled to have the license. Right now we need the rules to revoke a license or suspend a license of someone who is no longer entitled to have one.”

Madison resident Brian Bliss attended the hearing. He urged the committee to act soon to adopt the permanent rules that set clear standards for the firearms training required of permit holders. According to Bliss, the current more lax rules are allowing unqualified people to carry weapons. Bliss said, “The loopholes and the types of people who are getting them is scary, and Wisconsin shouldn’t be scared. If you want to make us safer, you don’t make us more scared. There are a lot of problems with this, and people need more common sense collaborative debate and discussion”

Governor Walker says his legal staff is reviewing the stricter permanent rules and will send them to the legislature soon. However, it is unlikely they will be adopted until after the November election.