June 1, 2010
Dear Paul,
Thank you for taking time to contact me regarding Wisconsin’s conceal and carry prohibition law, and gun-free school zones.
As you may know, I am a strong supporter of an individual’s 2nd Amendment rights, and have a legislative records which reflects that support, including my vote in favor of allowing citizens to carry a concealed firearm under certain circumstances through a permitting system. In addition, I have also opposed and spoken out against various measures which, in my opinion, would infringe on the constitutional right to keep and bear arms. As a gun owner myself, I understand and appreciate this right and am proud of my record in this regard.
In regards to gun-free school zones, Wisconsin law prohibits the possession or shooting of a firearm within a school zone. It defines a school zone as in the school building, the school grounds, and the area within 1000 feet of the school grounds. The law does provides a number of exceptions, including possessing a firearm on private property, using a firearm for a school program such as hunter safety education, or carrying a firearm while crossing a school zone to get to lands open to hunting. If a concealed carry law were enacted in Wisconsin, I believe a person who obtains a conceal and carry permit should be allowed to do so, unless prohibited on actual school grounds. If an concealed carry permit holder happens to own a home within such a zone, they should be rights afforded the same rights of those who do not live within close proximity to a school. But the actual school ground prohibition should still apply, as it was in the most recent legislative effort to allowed for conceal and carry.
Again, thank you for writing and please do so on any other matters before the Wisconsin State Legislature.
Sincerely,
Neal Kedzie
State Senator
11th Senate District
NJK: dj