March 11, 2008

 

Senate Democrats Kill Virginia-Tech Gun Loophole Bill

MADISON… Democrats in charge of the State Senate killed a bill that would prevent people committed involuntarily for mental health reasons from purchasing firearms.

Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker (D-Schofield), Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) and Senate President Fred Risser (D-Madison) killed any chances of passing Senate Bill 216 this year by sending the bill to the Joint Committee on Finance, where the bill will die before the Senate can vote on it.

Senate Bill 216 is necessary in response to the tragic events at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007, where a gunman, Seung-Hui Cho, killed 32 people and himself.  The bill will keep people who are prohibited for mental health reasons under state and federal law from buying firearm.

“I call on Russ Decker, Dave Hansen and Fred Risser to stop standing in the way of strengthening firearm background checks nationwide,” said Darling.  “This bill has strong bipartisan support, the support of the NRA and the law enforcement community, and the federal government requires that Wisconsin submit mental health information for background checks.”

The bill received unanimous votes in both the Assembly and Senate Committees, and passed the full Assembly without objection.  The Senate must pass Senate Bill 216 this week before the Senate adjourns until 2009, and send it to Governor Doyle who has indicated he will sign it into law.

“On the day Senator Hansen passed a bill in response to the Crandon tragedy requiring mental health checks for prospective law enforcement officers, Hansen killed my bill that would keep guns from the likes of Seung-Hui Cho,” said Darling.

Decker cited the one-time $39,000 price tag to provide mental health information to the National Instant Background Check System (NICS) as his rationale for killing Darling’s bill.  However, the federal government provides $250 million annually to help states pay the cost of providing the records, and threatens to withhold federal anti-crime funds if Wisconsin fails to implement SB 216.

“Decker, Hansen and Risser are endangering public safety by holding up this bill for purely political purposes.” fumed Darling.  “It’s plain to see that Senate Democrats don’t want to see Alberta Darling pass a good bill that’s been demanded by the voters, by the media, and by the federal government in an election year. That type of partisanship is sickening and dangerous.”