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Purchasing firearms for people prohibited from owning them, commonly known as straw purchases, would be a felony in Wisconsin if a newly introduced bill is passed into law.
Assembly Bill 524 and its counterpart, Senate Bill 408, were introduced in August by state Rep. Joe Sanfelippo, R-New Berlin, and Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills. The bills are now making their way through legislative committees.
The legislation was proposed in response to gun violence in Milwaukee. In 2016, Milwaukee had 125 gun-related homicides. As of Nov. 28, the city had 93 gun-related homicides this year.
"This bill is an important step forward, making it easier for prosecutors to lock up violent criminals without infringing on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens," Sen. Darling said in a statement when the legislation was introduced.
Under current law, a person who commits a straw purchase can be convicted of illegal possession of a firearm, face a $500 to $10,000 fine and up to nine months in prison if they lie on their firearm application. The proposed bill would make the same offense a Class H felony which carries with it a fine not more than $10,000 or imprisonment up to six years, or both.
Continue Reading: Legislation would make straw purchases for firearms a felony in Wisconsin