Today, in a 5-2 ruling, Wisconsin’s Supreme Court found that the Madison County Transit’s current carry prohibition on their buses is illegal. The ruling affirms the right of law-abiding passengers to carry a firearm for self-defense on Madison County buses, like they are currently allowed to do on buses run by other local transit agencies.
Since 2005, passengers have been forced to disarm when traveling on Madison buses even though state law preempts such a prohibition by local municipalities. Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel filed an amicus brief stating that the Madison ban “conflicts with, defeats the purpose of, and goes against the spirit of state law.”
Despite attempts by the city of Madison to argue that the Wisconsin preemption law doesn’t cover “agency rules,” the city will now need to put an end to its enforcement of the illegal prohibition.
Individuals who choose to use public transportation or are unable to travel in private conveyance should not be prevented from carrying a firearm for self-defense. This illegal prohibition unnecessarily disarmed law-abiding individuals and is thankfully being stopped.