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Today, Governor Doyle proposed a series of anti-gun laws that could seriously
affect you, your friends, and your family.
One proposal is a law to "close the gunshow loophole." This proposal would ban all private sales of firearms. All sales would have to go through a licensed dealer, and the buyer would have to undergo a background check. Not only will this make it more difficult for you to buy or trade guns with your friends or family, but it will also make it more expensive. Remember that the governor's budget includes a $22 increase in the background check fee.
Doyle is also proposing to roll back the state's pre-emption law, which was passed in 1995. The pre-emption law prevents municipalities from enacting gun laws more strict than those at the state level. Eliminating our pre-emption law would result in bans on handguns such as the one that Madison had in the early 1990's, and would open the door for all sorts of other restrictive laws. Rolling back the pre-emption law would also allow cities and towns to continue to ban concealed carry once we get our carry bill passed.
The governor also proposed prohibiting possession or purchase of a firearm by anyone who had been convicted of a misdemeanor involving a gun. This would result in denying Second Amendment rights to people who have committed even the most minor infractions, such as improperly transporting a gun (Or carring a concealed weapon). It would amount to a lifetime ban on gun ownership, something that is usually reserved for felonies.
Doyle also proposed a bill requiring "ballistic fingerprinting" on all guns. Under such a law, manufacturers would be required to provide the state with a fired shell casing from every gun produced. "Ballistic fingerprinting" systems have been tried in other states, and have proven to be expensive failures. In Maryland, after five years and millions of dollars were spent on such a program, the head of the state police said that not a single crime had been solved by the ballistic fingerprinting system, and urged the legislature to repeal the law.
It is vitally important that we stop the governor in his tracks, before his proposals can be introduced in the legislature.
Please contact your legislator and let him or her know that you oppose Governor Doyle's proposals. If you don't know who your legislator is, go to http://waml.legis.state.wi.us/ and enter your street address.
Remember Governor Doyle's promise during last year's campaign that he wouldn't interfere with the rights of gun owners? Chalk that up to just another empty campaign promise. Governor Jim Doyle has always been anti-gun, and always will be.
