Gov. Evers Delivers Radio Address Highlighting Efforts to Reduce Crime and Keep Kids, Families, and Communities Safe by Preventing Gun Violence

Audio File of Radio Address.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address highlighting efforts announced during his 2025 State of the State address to reduce crime and keep kids, families, and communities safe by preventing gun violence.

Earlier this month, Gov. Evers also signed Executive Order #254, creating a statewide Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention, and announced that he is directing $10 million for the Office to begin its work and administer grants supporting violence and gun violence prevention efforts statewide. As part of his 2025 State of the State address, Gov. Evers also announced that his 2025-27 Executive Budget will provide his most robust and comprehensive gun safety reform efforts to date, in addition to providing sustainable, ongoing state funding to make the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention a permanent office in state government.

More information about the governor’s comprehensive plan to address crime across Wisconsin and prevent gun violence is available here.

Hey there, Wisconsin. Governor Tony Evers here.

Kathy and I raised three kids, so we know that for parents nothing is more important than our kids’ safety, no matter where they are.

So, keeping our kids, families, schools, and communities safe, including reducing crime and gun violence, should be a top priority for us.

While violent crime is going down statewide, the rate of gun deaths is trending in the opposite direction.

That’s why I created our new Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention—to take a statewide approach to reducing crime, preventing violence, and keeping kids and communities safe.

And the truth is this: the vast majority of Wisconsinites, including gun owners, agree. We could take easy, simple steps that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.

Let’s close the loophole so that everyone goes through a violent history check when they purchase a firearm.

Let’s pass a “red flag” law to give law enforcement and loved ones the tools they need to get guns out of the home when someone is a dangerous risk to themselves or others.

Let’s keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and help make sure that guns in homes are locked away or have a trigger lock engaged and that firearms at retailers are secured when their businesses are unattended.

Let’s make sure that if a firearm is lost or stolen, law enforcement is immediately notified. And a lot of our work is not just to prevent people from hurting others but to make sure people are safe from hurting themselves.

So, let’s reinstate the 48-hour waiting period for firearm purchases and create a Self-Assigned Firearm Exclusion Program to allow Wisconsinites to temporarily—and voluntarily—register to prevent themselves from purchasing a firearm.

We should be able to get this commonsense stuff done with bipartisan support, folks. Let’s do better for Wisconsin than doing nothing.

Thank you.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.