MADISON, Wis. — Tuesday's school shooting in Texas has left many of us asking, yet again, what can be done to prevent mass shootings?
Spectrum News 1 Political Reporter Anthony DaBruzzi reached out to both sides of the aisle with just one question for legislative leaders in Wisconsin: What are you willing to do to address gun violence?
Gov. Tony Evers, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, and Senate Minority Leader Janet Bewley were all asked to comment.
However, the only lawmakers who responded were the Democratic minority leaders. Both said they are willing to do anything to prevent tragedies and blamed the Republican-controlled legislature for a lack of action.
“My Democratic colleagues and I are willing to do anything to prevent these senseless and tragic incidents. But our Republican colleagues refuse to consider any meaningful action. When Governor Evers called a special session on gun measures in 2019, the Republican leaders of the legislature convened and immediately adjourned the special session without debating any bills related to gun policy. I support the 2nd amendment. I voted for Wisconsin’s concealed carry law. And I believe we can find common ground on common-sense measures to protect the public. Is someone’s desire to avoid background checks more important than the lives of the children in Uvalde? Is someone’s desire to carry around a semi-automatic rifle more important than the grief these parents will carry with them for the rest of their lives?”
“All elected officials must commit themselves to doing whatever it takes to ensure that every person can live their lives without fear of gun violence. In Wisconsin, we have common-sense proposals that would help keep Wisconsin families safe, but the GOP has continually failed to act on them. It is vital that we move forward with legislation like extreme risk protection orders and universal background checks. As a legislative body, we must have these discussions so that we can keep people safe.
The news has been tough and unrelenting recently, but we cannot become numb to these events. No person should have to face this reality. Our children should be free to grow up.”
Emotional conversations were also had around the Capitol Wednesday morning.
“There are families in this nation that are really struggling today,” State Sen. Melissa Agard, D-Madison, said. “No parent, no family member, should drop their children off at school and have to pick them up in a body bag.”
Agard joined Attorney General Josh Kaul at a press conference Wednesday morning that announced sexual assault kit tracking.
“We need our legislators to get serious about these issues,” Kaul told reporters during the press conference. “We need them to take action, and the only way that is going to happen is if they feel pressure to do that, and that is going to require people across the state to pick up their phones, to call their legislators, and to demand that they take action.”
For the past several years, Democrats have called for extreme risk protection orders, also known as red flag laws, and universal background checks. Both of those are proposals the Republican Party of Wisconsin took a vote to oppose as a resolution while setting party platform at their annual convention last weekend.