Please Contact Your State Legislators and Urge Them to Continue Working for Your Second Amendment Rights!
As the 2011 legislative session progresses, legislators are once again continuing their efforts to guarantee a person’s right to self-defense within the state. Following in the same vein as the Personal Protection Act, the state House and Senate versions of “Castle Doctrine” self-defense legislation are expected to receive a full vote in their respective chambers early next week. Also of note is the Department of Administration’s recent efforts to establish a policy which would allow permit holder to carry in the state capital for self-defense.
Wisconsin Assembly Bill 69 and Senate Bill 79 commonly known as the “Castle Doctrine,” would provide essential protections for law abiding citizens who defend themselves and their families from a criminal looking to do them harm. “Castle Doctrine” establishes the presumption that an individual who forcibly enters ones home, business or occupied motor vehicle is there to cause death or great bodily harm, and allows force, including deadly force, against that person. This bill also eliminates any “duty to retreat” so that law abiding citizens no longer must turn their back on a criminal and try to run when attacked. Finally, AB 69 and SB 79 would provide that any person who uses force authorized by law shall not be prosecuted for using such force. It also prohibits criminals and their families from suing victims for injuring or killing the criminals who have attacked them. In short, it gives rights back to law-abiding people and forces judges and prosecutors to focus on protecting victims.
NRA supports this bill and the amendment to be offered by Assembly Majority Leader Scott Suder (R-69) that would ensure those not covered under the areas protected by “Castle Doctrine” will continue to have the same protections they do today under current law.
Please contact your state Representative and Senator and respectfully urge ask them to support AB 69 and SB 79 along with the Suder amendment. To contact your legislators, please click here.
With the new Personal Protection Act becoming law, effective November 1, the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) has devised a policy which would allow Concealed Carry Permit holders to lawfully carry concealed in the state Capitol and other public buildings (which have yet to be determined). In light of several protests during the legislative session this year and years past, legislators have felt unsafe thanks to threatening e-mails and phone calls. The DOA’s new policy would allow citizens, legislators and staff to lawfully carry concealed in most parts of the Capitol. Under the DOA rules individual legislators will be able to post their offices if they choose and the Senate and Assembly have the ability to set rules for their chambers and proceedings. A number of legislators have already voiced their support for this policy and we expect many more to follow.
Please contact DOA and thank Secretary Mike Huebsch for supporting Wisconsin citizen’s right to defend themselves while visiting the Capitol. You may contact The Wisconsin Department of Administration at [email protected].