AB609: Bill Text

2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE

LRB-4193/1

CMH:emw

2025 ASSEMBLY BILL 609

October 29, 2025 - Introduced by Representatives Green, Armstrong, Behnke, Callahan, Goeben, Kreibich, Maxey, Murphy, Piwowarczyk, Sortwell, Summerfield, Swearingen, Tucker and B. Jacobson, cosponsored by Senators Jacque, Bradley, Feyen, Nass, Quinn, Stafsholt and Wimberger. Referred to Committee on State Affairs.

AB609,2,10 An Act to repeal 167.31 (1) (cm) and (e) and (2) (a) and (b), 167.31 (3) (a) 2., 167.31 (4) (ag), 167.31 (4) (am), 167.31 (4) (bg), (bn) and (bt), 167.31 (4) (cm) and (d), 173.07 (5) (b), 175.60 (2g), 175.60 (2m) (bm), 175.60 (3) (c), (d) and (e), 175.60 (11) (a) 2. b. to i., 175.60 (11) (b) 2., 3. and 4., 175.60 (14) (am), 175.60 (16) (title), (a) (intro.) and 8. and (b) 3., 175.60 (17) (a), (ac) and (b), 440.26 (3m), 941.23 and 948.605 (1) (ag) and (ar); to renumber 175.60 (12) (b) 1. a. and b. and 175.60 (16) (a) 1., 2., 3., 4., 5., 6. and 7.; to renumber and amend 175.60 (11) (b) 1., 175.60 (12) (b) 2., 175.60 (15m), 175.60 (16) (b) (intro.), 1. and 2. and 175.60 (21) (c); to consolidate, renumber and amend 167.31 (3) (a) (intro.) and 1. and 175.60 (11) (a) 2. (intro.) and a.; to amend 29.089 (2) (a), (b) and (c), 29.091 (2) (a), (b) and (c), 29.301 (1) (b), 29.621 (4) (a), (b) and (c), 110.07 (1) (a) 1. and 3. and (b), 167.31 (2) (c), 167.31 (2) (d), 167.31 (2) (e), 167.31 (4) (a) (intro.), 167.31 (4) (b), 167.31 (4) (c), 167.31 (4) (cg) (intro.), 167.31 (4) (f), 167.31 (4) (i) and (j), 175.60 (2) (c), 175.60 (2m) (a), 175.60 (5) (a) (intro.), 175.60 (5) (a) 1., 175.60 (5) (a) 6., 175.60 (9) (b) 2., 175.60 (9g) (a) 2., 175.60 (9g) (a) 3. a. and b., 175.60 (12) (a), 175.60 (14) (a), 175.60 (14m) (f) 4. b., 345.11 (1s), 345.20 (2) (f), 813.122 (9) (am) 1. and 2., 813.123 (8m) (a) and (b), 813.125 (5r) (a) and (b), 938.78 (3), 939.632 (1) (e) 3., 941.237 (3) (cr) and (ct), 941.295 (2g) (c), 943.13 (1m) (c) 4., 943.13 (4m) (bm), 948.605 (2) (b) 2d., 2f. and 2h. and (3) (b) 5., 6. and 7. and 968.255 (1) (a) 2.; to repeal and recreate 941.235; to create 167.31 (4) (a) 1. and 943.13 (1p) of the statutes; relating to: right to carry a weapon in this state, licenses to carry a concealed weapon, and providing a penalty.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law generally prohibits an individual from carrying a concealed weapon unless the individual has either a license to carry a concealed weapon that is issued by the Department of Justice or a law enforcement identification card indicating that he or she is a qualified current or former law enforcement officer. This bill eliminates the general prohibition against going armed with a concealed weapon without regard to whether the individual has such a license or card.

The bill maintains the option to obtain a license to carry a concealed weapon or a law enforcement identification card so that licensees or cardholders may carry a concealed firearm in other states that require licensure and so that they do not violate federal law when possessing a firearm in a school zone. The federal gun-free school zone law generally prohibits the possession of a firearm in a school zone but exempts an individual who is licensed to possess a firearm by the state in which the school zone is located if the license involves a background check on the individual. The bill does not change the current state gun-free school zone law that allows a licensee to carry a firearm in a school zone anywhere but on school grounds and allows a person who has a law enforcement identification card to carry a firearm anywhere in a school zone. The bill also does not change current state law with regards to other places in which only a licensee may carry a firearm, such as wildlife refuges, fish hatcheries, or, if the licensee is not consuming alcohol, taverns.

Under current law, before DOJ may issue a person a license to carry a concealed weapon, DOJ must perform a background check to ensure that the person is not prohibited from possessing a firearm under either state law or federal law. Under the bill, DOJ must perform a background check to ensure that the person is not prohibited from possessing a firearm only under federal law.

Current law prohibits carrying a firearm in certain buildings, such as a police station, a house of correction, or a secure mental health facility. Under current law, the penalty for violating the prohibition varies depending on whether the person has a license to carry a concealed weapon or not. A licensee who violates the prohibition is subject to a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both, and a person who does not have a license who violates the prohibition is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor (which carries a penalty of a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than nine months, or both). In addition, current law prohibits a person without a license from carrying a firearm in other government buildings. The bill eliminates that general prohibition but keeps the prohibition for specific places, such as a police station, a house of corrections, or a secure mental health facility. The bill also adds to the list of prohibited places a place that has been declared a nuisance and any place prohibited under federal law; the bill also eliminates the distinction for penalties based on licensure status so that any person who violates the prohibition is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

The bill also eliminates a prohibition on loading a firearm in a vehicle; under current law, the only exception to this prohibition is for a handgun. The bill also reduces the distance a person must be from a hospital, sanatorium, or school to hunt, from 1,700 feet to 1,200 feet.

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB609,1 Section 1. 29.089 (2) (a), (b) and (c) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB609,3,4 29.089 (2) (a) A person who is employed in this state by a public agency as a law enforcement officer and to whom s. 941.23 (1) (g) 2. to 5. and (2) (b) 1. to 3. applies who is in compliance with 18 USC 926B.

AB609,3,6 (b) A qualified out-of-state law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 941.23 (1) (g), to whom s. 941.23 (2) (b) 1. to 3. applies who is in compliance with 18 USC 926B.

AB609,4,2 (c) A former law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 941.23 (1) (c), to whom s. 941.23 (2) (c) 1. to 7. applies who is in compliance with 18 USC 926C.

AB609,2 Section 2. 29.091 (2) (a), (b) and (c) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB609,4,6 29.091 (2) (a) A person who is employed in this state by a public agency as a law enforcement officer and to whom s. 941.23 (1) (g) 2. to 5. and (2) (b) 1. to 3. applies who is in compliance with 18 USC 926B.

AB609,4,8 (b) A qualified out-of-state law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 941.23 (1) (g), to whom s. 941.23 (2) (b) 1. to 3. applies who is in compliance with 18 USC 926B.

AB609,4,10 (c) A former law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 941.23 (1) (c), to whom s. 941.23 (2) (c) 1. to 7. applies who is in compliance with 18 USC 926C.

AB609,3 Section 3. 29.301 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB609,4,15 29.301 (1) (b) No person may hunt within 1,700 1,200 feet of any hospital, sanatorium, or the grounds of any school. The department may designate the form for or furnish signs designating the restricted area. No person may be convicted of a violation of this paragraph unless the restricted area is designated by the signs.

AB609,4 Section 4. 29.621 (4) (a), (b) and (c) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB609,4,19 29.621 (4) (a) A person who is employed in this state by a public agency as a law enforcement officer and to whom s. 941.23 (1) (g) 2. to 5. and (2) (b) 1. to 3. applies who is in compliance with 18 USC 926B.

AB609,4,21 (b) A qualified out-of-state law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 941.23 (1) (g), to whom s. 941.23 (2) (b) 1. to 3. applies who is in compliance with 18 USC 926B.

AB609,4,23 (c) A former law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 941.23 (1) (c), to whom s. 941.23 (2) (c) 1. to 7. applies who is in compliance with 18 USC 926C.

AB609,5 Section 5. 110.07 (1) (a) 1. and 3. and (b) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB609,5,5 110.07 (1) (a) 1. Enforce and assist in the administration of this chapter and chs. 194, 218, 341 to 349 and 351, and ss. 23.33, 23.335, 125.07 (4) (b), 125.085 (3) (b), 167.31 (2) (b) to (c) and (d) and 287.81 and ch. 350 where applicable to highways, or orders or rules issued pursuant thereto.

AB609,5,10 3. Have authority to enter any place where vehicles subject to this chapter, ss. 167.31 (2) (b) to (c) and (d) and 287.81 and chs. 194, 218 and 341 to 350 are stored or parked at any time to examine such vehicles, or to stop such vehicles while en route at any time upon the public highways to examine the same and make arrests for all violations thereof.

AB609,5,15 (b) All municipal judges, judges, district attorneys and law enforcement officers shall assist in enforcing this chapter, ss. 167.31 (2) (b) to (c) and (d) and 287.81 and chs. 194, 218 and 341 to 351, and orders or rules issued pursuant thereto and shall report to the department the disposition of every uniform traffic citation issued for cases involving those chapters.

AB609,6 Section 6. 167.31 (1) (cm) and (e) and (2) (a) and (b) of the statutes are repealed.

AB609,7 Section 7. 167.31 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB609,5,21 167.31 (2) (c) Except as provided in sub. (4), no person may load a firearm, other than a handgun, in a vehicle or discharge a firearm or airgun or shoot a bolt or an arrow from a bow or crossbow in or from a vehicle.

AB609,8 Section 8. 167.31 (2) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB609,6,2 167.31 (2) (d) Except as provided in sub. (4) (a), (bg), (cg), (e), (fm), (g), and (k), no person may discharge a firearm or airgun or shoot a bolt or an arrow from a bow or crossbow from or across a highway or within 50 feet of the center of a roadway.

AB609,9 Section 9. 167.31 (2) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB609,6,5 167.31 (2) (e) A person who violates pars. (a) to par. (c) or (d) is subject to a forfeiture of not more than $100.

AB609,10 Section 10. 167.31 (3) (a) (intro.) and 1. of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 167.31 (3) (a) and amended to read:

AB609,6,11 167.31 (3) (a) Except as provided in sub. (4), no person may do any of the following: 1. Place place, possess, or transport a firearm, bow, or crossbow in or on a commercial aircraft, unless the firearm is unloaded and encased or unless the bow or crossbow is unstrung or is enclosed in a carrying case.

AB609,11 Section 11. 167.31 (3) (a) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

AB609,12 Section 12. 167.31 (4) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB609,6,18 167.31 (4) (a) (intro.) Subsections The prohibitions in subs. (2) and (3) do not apply to any of the following who, are acting in the line of duty, place, possess, transport, load or discharge a firearm or airgun in, on or from a vehicle, motorboat or aircraft or discharge a firearm or airgun from or across a highway or within 50 feet of the center of a roadway:

AB609,13 Section 13. 167.31 (4) (a) 1. of the statutes is created to read:

AB609,6,20 167.31 (4) (a) 1. A peace officer.

AB609,14 Section 14. 167.31 (4) (ag) of the statutes is repealed.

AB609,15 Section 15. 167.31 (4) (am) of the statutes is repealed.

AB609,16 Section 16. 167.31 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB609,7,4 167.31 (4) (b) Subsections (2) (a), (b) and (c), (3) (a) and (b), and (3m) do not apply to the holder of a scientific research license under s. 169.25 or a scientific collector permit under s. 29.614 who is using a net gun or tranquilizer gun in an activity related to the purpose for which the license or permit was issued.

AB609,17 Section 17. 167.31 (4) (bg), (bn) and (bt) of the statutes are repealed.

AB609,18 Section 18. 167.31 (4) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB609,7,9 167.31 (4) (c) Subsection (2) (b) and (c) does not apply to the holder of a Class A or Class B permit under s. 29.193 (2) who is hunting from a stationary vehicle.

AB609,19 Section 19. 167.31 (4) (cg) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read: