SB787: Bill Text

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2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

2015 Senate BILL 787

March 10, 2016 - Introduced by Senators Harris Dodd and C. Larson, cosponsored by Representatives Barnes, Berceau, Subeck, Bowen and Brostoff. Referred to Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.

SB787,1,3 An Act to amend 66.0409 (2); and to create 66.0409 (1) (at) and 66.0409 (7) of the statutes; relating to: authorizing local governments to collect and record information about firearms in a registry.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under this bill, if a resident of a municipality (any city, village, or town) contacts a law enforcement agency and reports that he or she possesses a firearm and would like to register it, the law enforcement agency may record that information and create a firearms registry. No information contained in the registry is subject to inspection or copying under the open records law, subject to a number of exceptions. The information may be disclosed to law enforcement officials if the information relates to an ongoing criminal investigation or if the registered firearm is reported lost or stolen. In addition, the individual who registered the firearm may waive confidentiality.

For further information see the state and local 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:

SB787,1 Section 1. 66.0409 (1) (at) of the statutes is created to read:

SB787,1,5 66.0409 (1) (at) "Municipality" means a city, village or town.

SB787,2 Section 2. 66.0409 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB787,2,7 66.0409 (2) Except as provided in subs. (3) and, (4), and (7), no political subdivision may enact an ordinance or adopt a resolution that regulates the sale, purchase, purchase delay, transfer, ownership, use, keeping, possession, bearing, transportation, licensing, permitting, registration or taxation of any firearm or part of a firearm, including ammunition and reloader components, unless the ordinance or resolution is the same as or similar to, and no more stringent than, a state statute.

SB787,3 Section 3. 66.0409 (7) of the statutes is created to read:

SB787,2,14 66.0409 (7) (a) Subject to par. (b), if a resident of a municipality contacts a law enforcement agency and reports that he or she possesses a firearm and would like to register it, the law enforcement agency may record such information and create a firearms registry that consists of information including the registrant's name, street address, and information about the firearm that the resident wishes to register.

SB787,2,17 (b) None of the information contained in a voluntary registry is subject to the right of inspection and copying under s. 19.35 (1), except under the following circumstances:

SB787,2,19 1. If information in the registry relates to an ongoing criminal investigation, the information may be shared with other law enforcement agencies.

SB787,2,21 2. If a firearm that is registered as described in par. (a) is reported lost or stolen, information in the registry may be shared with other law enforcement agencies.

SB787,2,24 3. An individual who registers a firearm as described in par. (a) may consent to have any of the information contained in the registry concerning that firearm disclosed to any person.

SB787,2,25 (End)