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Wisconsin Democrats reintroduce gun regulations after Republicans pull them from budget

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Wisconsin Democrats reintroduce gun regulations after Republicans pull them from budget


Wisconsin Democrats are reintroducing gun regulations after Republicans stripped those measures from the state budget.

Sponsors say they hope to prevent gun violence, which typically spikes during the summer months. The proposals now circulating for cosponsors include expanded background check requirements, a mandatory waiting period for handgun purchases and a red flag law designed to remove weapons from people deemed to be high risk.

The bills mirror measures included by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in his latest budget request — before GOP lawmakers on the Joint Committee on Finance removed them.

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Now, Democratic lawmakers are reintroducing the measures as standalone legislation.

Although the Republican-controlled Legislature has repeatedly blocked similar bills in years past, state Sen. LaTonya Johnson, D-Milwaukee, said she’s urging her GOP colleagues to advance at least some of the bills in the package to public hearings this session.

“Year after year, I’ve watched Republicans cut every single gun safety proposal from the state budget. And year after year, we see more victims and families burying their babies,” Johnson said, while flanked by gun safety advocates and Wisconsin’s Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul at a news conference on Tuesday.

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But in a written statement, Wisconsin’s top Republican lawmaker was critical of the proposals.

“People should be concerned about those who don’t want to lock up criminals committing serious crimes,” said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester. “Passing more restrictions on law-abiding gun owners is typical overreach by the Democrats that doesn’t solve the problem.”

One of the proposals would reinstate a 48-hour waiting period before someone could buy a handgun from a federally-licensed firearms dealer.

That waiting period had been on the books in Wisconsin for decades — until former Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, signed a law repealing it in 2015.

State Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, said in addition to preventing homicides that result from impulsive decisions, a waiting period would help stop suicides. Suicides make up a majority of firearm-related deaths in Wisconsin and across the country.

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“Every suicide is preventable, and adding a waiting period … puts a barrier between somebody making an irrational decision and an irreversible harm,” Larson said.

Larson was a friend and colleague of Jonathon Brostoff, a former Democratic state representative who died by suicide using a firearm last year.

Another bill circulating this week would allow family members, household members and law enforcement agencies to petition a court for what’s known as an “extreme risk protection order,” against someone who’s deemed to be “substantially likely” to harm themselves or another person. If the order’s granted, that person would have to surrender their firearms.

Those laws, often referred to as red flag laws, are in effect in 21 states.

That includes California, where a judge recently ordered a man to surrender his guns after law enforcement said he was messaging about mass attacks with a 15-year-old student from Wisconsin. That student used her father’s legally purchased handgun to kill two other people and herself at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison in December, prosecutors say.

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Also included in the package is a proposal to ban manufacturing, transporting, selling, possessing and carrying what are known as “ghost guns,” which are guns that can be assembled at home from parts purchased online. Those guns often lack serial numbers, making it difficult for law enforcement to trace them. And they’re often made from polymers that aren’t picked up by metal detectors.

Additionally, one of the re-introduced bills would expand background check requirements to more types of gun sales. Currently, background checks are required for anyone who buys a gun from a federally licensed firearms dealer.

But Wisconsin Democrats say background checks should also be mandatory for private party transactions, including guns bought at gun shows, flea markets or from pick-ups scheduled in response to classified ads. That bill includes some exceptions to background check requirements, including weapons classified as antiques or guns given as gifts or bequests by a family member.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, call the suicide prevention lifeline at 988 or text “Hopeline” to 741741.



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Wisconsin center Nolan Winter putting up historic efficiency numbers

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Wisconsin center Nolan Winter putting up historic efficiency numbers


Wisconsin Badgers center Nolan Winter is known as an efficient scorer, but few Badgers fans likely realize just how efficient he has been.

According to Sports Reference, Winter owns the best 2-point field goal percentage in the Big Ten since the 1992-93 season, shooting 69% across his three years in Madison. He sits ahead of stars such as Chris Webber, Owen Freeman and Moritz Wagner on the list of all-time leaders. Winter also made 33% of his 3-pointers this season. His efficiency stands out even more as he shifted to center last year, taking over for Steven Crowl after he graduated. The move required Winter to adapt to a more physical role, with the team needing him in the post.In 31 games this season, Winter averaged 13.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. If he returns to Wisconsin next season, he could finish his career as one of the most efficient scorers in program history.

If the Badgers retain Winter, expect Greg Gard and his staff to make him a bigger focal point of the offense next season. Given Winter’s scoring ability, it would be hard to justify anything else. The recent addition of Owen Foxwell, a facilitating point guard, could also create more opportunities for Wisconsin’s frontcourt.

Winter’s rise is another point in Gard’s favor. In recent years, he has helped develop players such as Steven Crowl, John Tonje, John Blackwell, AJ Storr and Nick Boyd.

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All clear given by Marquette police following investigation outside Church of the Gesu

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All clear given by Marquette police following investigation outside Church of the Gesu


A stretch of Wisconsin Avenue that travels through Marquette University in Milwaukee is back open Sunday afternoon following a police investigation.

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All clear given by Marquette police following investigation outside Church of the Gesu

A stretch of Wisconsin Avenue that travels through Marquette University in Milwaukee is back open Sunday afternoon following a police investigation.

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VERY NICE. >> THANK YOU EASTER BUNNY. >> THANK YOU. >> SO ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU STEPHANIE. AND BEFORE WE GO, WE WANT TO BRING YOU AN UPDATE TO THAT BREAKING NEWS. WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL SHOW MARQUETTE. POLICE SAY THE INVESTIGATION OUTSIDE THE CHURCH OF THE GESU HAS RESOLVED. GIVING THE ALL CLEAR

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All clear given by Marquette police following investigation outside Church of the Gesu

A stretch of Wisconsin Avenue that travels through Marquette University in Milwaukee is back open Sunday afternoon following a police investigation.

Updated: 6:09 PM CDT Apr 5, 2026

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An all clear has been given following a police investigation along a stretch of Wisconsin Avenue that travels through the campus of Marquette University in Milwaukee. Late Sunday afternoon, police could be seen focusing on a red Chevy Cruze parked outside the Church of the Gesu, and Wisconsin Avenue was closed between 11th and 13th streets. This was after Marquette University Police issued a safety alert asking people to avoid the area of 12th Street and Wisconsin Avenue.Shortly before 5 p.m., a WISN photojournalist was told by a Milwaukee Police Department officer to move back at the scene due to the bomb squad being called in. A K-9 was spotted smelling the car, as well as both around and inside the church. The K9 didn’t appear to find anything.Milwaukee police left around 5:30 p.m., after Wisconsin Avenue reopened. However, Marquette University police remained outside the church and around the Chevy Cruze. University police said shortly before 6 p.m. the issue had been resolved.12 News has reached out to Milwaukee and Marquette University police for details and will update this article as information becomes available.

An all clear has been given following a police investigation along a stretch of Wisconsin Avenue that travels through the campus of Marquette University in Milwaukee.

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Late Sunday afternoon, police could be seen focusing on a red Chevy Cruze parked outside the Church of the Gesu, and Wisconsin Avenue was closed between 11th and 13th streets. This was after Marquette University Police issued a safety alert asking people to avoid the area of 12th Street and Wisconsin Avenue.

Shortly before 5 p.m., a WISN photojournalist was told by a Milwaukee Police Department officer to move back at the scene due to the bomb squad being called in. A K-9 was spotted smelling the car, as well as both around and inside the church. The K9 didn’t appear to find anything.

Milwaukee police left around 5:30 p.m., after Wisconsin Avenue reopened. However, Marquette University police remained outside the church and around the Chevy Cruze. University police said shortly before 6 p.m. the issue had been resolved.

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12 News has reached out to Milwaukee and Marquette University police for details and will update this article as information becomes available.

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Wisconsin basketball adds SEC opponent to 2026-27 schedule

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Wisconsin basketball adds SEC opponent to 2026-27 schedule


The Wisconsin Badgers men’s basketball team wasted no time scheduling an SEC opponent for the 2026-27 season.

Alex Rosinski confirmed the Badgers will head to Nashville on December 19 to play Auburn, a team competing for the NIT Championship on April 5.

The Tigers were the talk of the town come Selection Sunday with their 17-16 record. Claiming it had the nation’s best win at Florida on January 24, Auburn did everything in its power to talk its way into the NCAA Tournament. Instead, the team had to settle for the NIT.

Auburn has taken care of business against South Alabama, Seattle U, Nevada, and Illinois State en route to the championship game against Tulsa.

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The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also confirmed Wisconsin’s game against Auburn on December 19 will take place at the Bridgestone Arena. Auburn usually plays its home games at the Neville Arena, which is about a five-hour trip from the home of the Nashville Predators.

Even though Wisconsin is coming off a disappointing tournament loss, Greg Gard isn’t messing around. This is yet another high-profile non-conference game he’s added to the team’s schedule. For what it’s worth, this is only the second all-time meeting between these two teams.

Contact/Follow@TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page onFacebook to follow ongoing coverage of WisconsinBadgers news, notes and opinion.





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