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Concealed Weapons Law: The Effect
Even if many counties decide not to issue permits for concealed weapons, the program would survive. Those wanting permits could apply to any county participating in the licensing process.
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Many Sheriffs would try to opt out of Weapons Law - 90% in state would object, group says, citing lack of resources for concealed-carry background check, By Lawrence Sussman and Peter Maller
Taken from the Nov. 10, 2003 edition of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
About 90% of Wisconsin sheriffs will ask their county boards to opt out of the proposed concealed weapons law because they do not have enough people to conduct adequate background checks on applicants, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs Association said.
"Sheriffs and their deputies take very seriously the power to issue a permit where a person can potentially use deadly force," said the spokesman, Jeff Wiswell. "It's ridiculous in the extreme to think that we would do a simple computer check on a concealed weapons application."
The bill has been passed by both the Assembly and Senate, though the Senate is expected to vote Tuesday on some modifications and send it on to Gov. Jim Doyle, who has promised to veto it.
If the bill survives a veto and becomes law, sheriffs in the state's 72 counties would have to issue or deny concealed weapons permits to applicants. The names of all applicants, and who is issued a permit or denied one, would be kept secret.
Any sheriff, with two-thirds support from a county board, could opt out of the program - and Wiswell said as many as 65 sheriffs would push for that action.
That wouldn't kill the program, however, because an individual could apply for a concealed weapons license with any sheriff in the state whose county participates in the licensing process.
State Rep. Scott Gunderson (R-Town of Norway), one of the concealed weapons bill's sponsors, said he thought that Wiswell was overstating how many sheriffs would try to opt out of the licensing program.
"We truly think that a lot of sheriffs will say, 'We want to issue these permits, so that we have a clearer understanding of the folks in our county who are applying for a permit,' " Gunderson said.
He also said giving sheriffs the authority to issue the permits made the most sense.
"They will know personally some of the people coming in," Gunderson said, "and I think that's a good thing."
The proposed law also allows sheriffs in two or more counties to put together a combined background check program.
"I think that we may see that because fiscally it will make sense," Gunderson said.
But Chippewa County Sheriff Douglas Ellis called the proposed law "a bureaucratic nightmare" and is asking his County Board to vote Wednesday to allow him to opt out.
"Our administrative committee supports me and our law enforcement supports me, and we're going to the board next week," he said. "If the law passes and the county doesn't opt out of it, it's going to be a nightmare, a real nightmare."
Washington County Sheriff Brian Rahn, who "definitely" will ask his County Board to opt out, said he has talked with sheriffs around the state who are making similar plans.
"I can tell you that I've chatted with 15 or 20 sheriffs this week and they said that if the bill passes, they want their counties to opt out," Rahn said.
And, he added, "If it gets to the point where 30 or 40 counties opt out, you'd be a fool not to opt out because you'd pick up people from all those other counties that have opted out."
Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. last week called on the governor to veto the concealed weapons bill and said he would "take a hard look" at seeking permission to opt out if it becomes law.
"I'm not going to burden my office with the administrative work that the state has shown a propensity not to properly fund," Clarke said.
Racine County Sheriff Robert Carlson said he is uncertain whether he will ask his County Board to opt out.
"I might consider it. However it seems that the majority of the board is in favor of it," he said.
Eau Claire County Sheriff Ron Cramer, who opposes the proposed law, said he's not currently planning to ask his board to opt out because he expects Doyle to veto the bill.
Cramer said he is "frustrated" because the proposed law is vague on many important points, such as how required firearm training and safety courses would be conducted.
Dane County Sheriff Gary Hamblin, a strong opponent of the law, hasn't made a decision yet about asking his County Board to opt out.
But, he said, "They estimate that one percent to two percent (of the population) will apply for a permit, and in Dane County that would be about 8,500 people. I don't have the staff to process that kind of paperwork."