Three state Democrats introduce bill to ban bump stocks in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) – State Representatives Chris Taylor (D-Madison), Melissa Sargent (D-Madison), Lisa Subeck (D-Madison), and Terese Berceau (D-Madison) introduced LRB-4465 Thursday to ban bump-fire stocks, or “bump stocks,” in Wisconsin, devices which were found affixed to firearms that might have been used in the recent Las Vegas mass shooting.

“We simply cannot wait any longer to start addressing gun violence in Wisconsin,” said Taylor. “LRB-4465 is about keeping our communities safe, preventing future violence, and ensuring responsible gun use. Bump stocks present an unnecessary, added danger for which there’s absolutely no justification.”

The legislation introduced Thursday comes after a similar proposal was announced Wednesday by U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California). LRB-4465 would prohibit the possession, use, and sale of bump stocks and similar attachments, devices, or combinations thereof that are designed to accelerate the rate of fire for semi-automatic weapons.

“This is simply good public policy. I have a family full of hunters and responsible gun owners--no typical gun owner needs a fully automatic weapon or a weapon modified to act like one,” Sargent said. “There’s a reason fully automatic weapons are illegal, and it’s because they’re dangerous and likely to be used nefariously.”

Bump-fire stocks or “bump stocks” are used to modify firearms to effectively fire automatically or in rapid succession. Semi-automatic weapons require a trigger to be pulled manually to fire each round; however, by modifying a semi-automatic weapon with a bump stock, the weapon is capable of simulating automatic firing. Bump stocks are attached to the receiver of semi-automatic weapons and use the recoil to propel the weapon backward and bounce it forward, ‘bumping’ the trigger into the unmoving trigger finger, thereby firing the weapon repeatedly.

“We ban fully automatic weapons but allow semi-automatic weapons modified to act like fully automatic weapons—that’s nonsensical. If someone needs access to a weapon that’s effectively fully automatic, we should probably be asking why,” Subeck added.

Taylor, Sargent, Subeck, and Berceau were joined in introducing the bill by many legislative Democrats and are hopeful Republicans in the Legislature will support the proposal. They welcome ongoing discussions with Republican leadership on this issue and will diligently pursue bipartisan support.

“This isn’t about politics. This is about decency, about being reasonable, and it’s about common sense--it’s time legislators to pass responsible gun safety legislation,” concluded Berceau.