Senator Agard Introduces Legislation to Ban Bump Stocks

MADISON – Today, Senator Melissa Agard (D-Madison), Senator LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee), and Representative Francesca Hong (D-Madison) released a bill that would ban bump-fire stocks, or “bump stocks,” in Wisconsin. The bill was introduced on the fourth anniversary of the Las Vegas shooting that killed 60 people with firearms affixed with bump stocks.

Senator Melissa Agard released the following statement regarding the legislation:

“Four years ago today, our country was shaken by the tragedy in Las Vegas. Waking up to learn that 60 people were killed by a shooter using a weapon affixed with a bump stock, and many, many more injured, was a gut-wrenching experience. There are tangible steps we can take to reduce the threat of gun violence and prevent mass tragedies like this from occurring. It is unacceptable to treat them as inevitable. This bill can be a part of that effort to prevent events like we saw four ago from happening.

“Under the Trump Administration, the ATF passed a rule effectively banning bump stocks. Now there are 18 states challenging that rule. It is imperative that we take pragmatic action to prevent any legal limbo in Wisconsin. We must take a strong stance as a state – we must ban bump stocks.

“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. This bill is one step we can take to prevent another mass tragedy. We simply must have the courage to do so.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.