GOP Bill Allows Guns in Churches
And other places of worship, even in school zones. Big donor NRA favors such legislation.
Hanging sculpture of guns from another angle. Photo by Craig Mastantuono.
GOP lawmakers are working on a bill that would allow people to carry concealed weapons in churches and other places of worship.
The legislative proposal, which is being circulated for support before it is introduced, would also allow concealed carry in places of worship that are even located in a school zone. Under current state law, concealed carry is prohibited within 1,000 feet of school property.
The measure would allow places of worship to prohibit concealed carry by posting signs on the property or building.
The proposal was sponsored by two Republicans: state Sen. David Craig, of Big Bend, and Rep. Gae Magnafici, of Dresser.
Support or opposition to the proposal has yet to surface, but the National Rifle Association (NRA) previously supported such legislation in Indiana.
In Wisconsin, the NRA has spent more than $5.5 million from 1998 through December 2019 on outside electioneering activities to support GOP and conservative legislative and statewide candidates. The bulk of the NRA’s electioneering spending, more than $4.4 million, was spent to support former GOP Gov. Scott Walker’s 2010 general, 2012 recall, and 2014 and 2018 reelection campaigns.
In addition to outside electioneering activities, NRA political action committees have directly contributed $121,950 to all legislative and statewide candidates between January 1998 and December 2019.
The following table shows the NRA’s outside electioneering support and direct contributions to current legislative and statewide officeholders in Wisconsin.
NRA Financial Support to Wisconsin Legislators and Statewide Officeholders
| Name | Party | Office* | Direct Contributions |
Outside Election Support |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olsen, Luther | R | S14 | $1,500 | $10,772 | $12,272 |
| Tiffany, Tom | R | S12 | $3,500 | $4,437 | $7,937 |
| Committee to Elect a Republican Senate | R | S | $7,000 | $0 | $7,000 |
| Darling, Alberta | R | S08 | $3,000 | $2,035 | $5,035 |
| Cowles, Robert | R | S02 | $0 | $4,639 | $4,639 |
| Jacque, Andre | R | S01 | $1,000 | $2,433 | $3,433 |
| Krug, Scott S | R | A72 | $2,000 | $1,088 | $3,088 |
| Stafsholt, Rob | R | A29 | $1,500 | $1,390 | $2,890 |
| Feyen, Dan | R | S18 | $0 | $2,824 | $2,824 |
| Roth, Roger | R | S19 | $2,000 | $650 | $2,650 |
| Kulp, Bob | R | A69 | $0 | $2,408 | $2,408 |
| Quinn, Romaine Robert | R | A75 | $1,500 | $717 | $2,217 |
| Bernier, Kathy | R | S23 | $1,000 | $1,149 | $2,149 |
| VanderMeer, Nancy Lynn | R | A70 | $500 | $1,629 | $2,129 |
| Wanggaard, Van H | R | S21 | $2,000 | $127 | $2,127 |
| August, Tyler | R | A32 | $2,000 | $0 | $2,000 |
| Czaja-Felzkowski, Mary | R | A35 | $2,000 | $0 | $2,000 |
| Vos, Robin | R | A63 | $1,500 | $339 | $1,839 |
| Fitzgerald, Scott | R | S13 | $1,500 | $277 | $1,777 |
| Steineke, Jim | R | A05 | $1,750 | $0 | $1,750 |
| Tranel, Travis | R | A49 | $500 | $1,216 | $1,716 |
| Marklein, Howard | R | S17 | $1,000 | $671 | $1,671 |
| LeMahieu, Devin | R | S09 | $1,000 | $666 | $1,666 |
| Petrowski, Jerry | R | S29 | $1,000 | $638 | $1,638 |
| Horlacher, Cody | R | A33 | $1,000 | $526 | $1,526 |
| Zimmerman, Shannon | R | A30 | $0 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Novak, Todd | R | A51 | $500 | $876 | $1,376 |
| Tusler, Ron | R | A03 | $0 | $1,243 | $1,243 |
| Kitchens, Joel C | R | A01 | $500 | $585 | $1,085 |
| Republican Assembly Campaign Committee | R | A | $1,000 | $0 | $1,000 |
| Kerkman, Samantha | R | A61 | $1,000 | $0 | $1,000 |
| Kooyenga, Dale | R | S05 | $1,000 | $0 | $1,000 |
| Petryk, Warren | R | A93 | $500 | $495 | $995 |
| Macco, John | R | A88 | $500 | $493 | $993 |
| Craig, Dave | R | S28 | $500 | $331 | $831 |
| Stroebel, Duey | R | S20 | $500 | $317 | $817 |
| Swearingen, Rob | R | A34 | $800 | $0 | $800 |
| Mursau, Jeffrey L | R | A36 | $300 | $486 | $786 |
| Edming, James | R | A87 | $100 | $501 | $601 |
| Ballweg, Joan | R | A41 | $500 | $0 | $500 |
| Knodl, Dan | R | A24 | $500 | $0 | $500 |
| Testin, Patrick | R | S24 | $500 | $0 | $500 |
| Spiros, John | R | A86 | $500 | $0 | $500 |
| Brooks, Robert | R | A60 | $500 | $0 | $500 |
| Tauchen, Gary | R | A06 | $300 | $0 | $300 |
| Nygren, John | R | A89 | $250 | $0 | $250 |
| Skowronski, Ken | R | A82 | $250 | $0 | $250 |
| Born, Mark L | R | A39 | $200 | $0 | $200 |
| Brandtjen, Janel | R | A22 | $100 | $0 | $100 |
| Gundrum, Rick | R | A58 | $100 | $0 | $100 |
| Schraa, Michael | R | A53 | $100 | $0 | $100 |
| Kuglitsch, Mike | R | A84 | $100 | $0 | $100 |
*“S” means Senate District, and “A” means Assembly District
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