Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

Wisconsin Senate Bill SB167 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
2	2	LRB-1593/1
3	3	CMH:wlj
4	4	2025 SENATE BILL 167
5	5	April 3, 2025 - Introduced by Senators TOMCZYK and NASS, cosponsored by
6	6	Representatives ALLEN, MURPHY, BEHNKE, BRILL, DITTRICH, KREIBICH,
7	7	WICHGERS and KNODL. Referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory
8	8	Reform, State and Federal Affairs.
9	9	AN ACT to repeal 175.60 (7) (d) and 175.60 (15) (b) 4. (intro.) and b.; to
10	10	renumber and amend 175.60 (7) (c), 175.60 (15) (b) 4. a., 948.605 (2) (a) and
11	11	948.605 (2) (b) 1r.; to amend 20.455 (2) (gr), 175.60 (2g) (a) and 175.60 (5) (a)
12	12	6.; to create 175.60 (7) (cm) (intro.) and 2., 175.60 (15) (b) 3. (intro.) and b.,
13	13	948.605 (1) (aj) and 948.605 (2) (bm) 1. of the statutes; relating to: possession
14	14	of a firearm on school grounds by school employees and fees for licenses to
15	15	carry a concealed weapon.
16	16	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
17	17	Both federal law and state law prohibit a person from possessing a firearm on
18	18	the grounds of a school. Federal and state law provide several identical exceptions
19	19	to the prohibition, such as for law enforcement and for persons in accordance with a
20	20	contract between the person and the school. Federal law provides another exception
21	21	for a person who is licensed to possess a firearm by the state if the state requires a
22	22	background check to ensure the person is qualified for the license. Since the
23	23	Department of Justice requires a background check before it issues a person a
24	24	license to carry a concealed weapon, a licensee is allowed under federal law to
25	25	1
26	26	2
27	27	3
28	28	4
29	29	5
30	30	6
31	31	7 2025 - 2026 Legislature
32	32	SENATE BILL 167
33	33	- 2 - LRB-1593/1
34	34	CMH:wlj
35	35	SECTION 1
36	36	possess a firearm on the grounds of a school. State law, however, does not provide
37	37	an identical exception, so a licensee is prohibited under state law from possessing a
38	38	firearm on the grounds of a school.
39	39	This bill creates a state exception that is similar to the federal exception.
40	40	Under the bill, a person who has a license issued by DOJ may possess a firearm on
41	41	the grounds of a school if the person is employed by the school and the school board
42	42	or governing entity has adopted a policy that allows employees who are licensees to
43	43	possess a firearm.
44	44	Under current law, a person who applies to DOJ for a license to carry a
45	45	concealed weapon must pay an application fee and a person who is renewing a
46	46	license must pay a renewal fee. DOJ must set the fee amount on the basis of the
47	47	cost it incurs in licensing, but the fee can be no more than $37 for an initial license
48	48	and $12 for a license renewal. In addition, the person must pay for a background
49	49	check for each initial application and renewal application; that fee amount is
50	50	currently $10. The bill waives the initial application fee, renewal fee, and
51	51	background check fee for teachers who apply for a license.
52	52	For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
53	53	printed as an appendix to this bill.
54	54	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
55	55	enact as follows:
56	56	SECTION 1. 20.455 (2) (gr) of the statutes is amended to read:
57	57	20.455 (2) (gr) Handgun purchaser record check; checks for licenses or
58	58	certifications to carry concealed weapons. All moneys received as fee payments
59	59	under ss. 175.35 (2i), 175.49 (5m), and 175.60 (7) (c) and (d) (cm) 1., (13), and (15) (b)
60	60	4. 3. a. and b. to provide services under ss. 165.28, 175.35, 175.49, and 175.60.
61	61	SECTION 2. 175.60 (2g) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
62	62	175.60 (2g) (a) A licensee or an out-of-state licensee may carry a concealed
63	63	weapon anywhere in this state except as provided under subs. (15m) and (16) and
64	64	ss. 943.13 (1m) (c) and 948.605 (2) (b) 1r.
65	65	SECTION 3. 175.60 (5) (a) 6. of the statutes is amended to read:
66	66	175.60 (5) (a) 6. A statement of the places under sub. (16) where a licensee is
67	67	1
68	68	2
69	69	3
70	70	4
71	71	5
72	72	6
73	73	7
74	74	8
75	75	9
76	76	10
77	77	11 2025 - 2026 Legislature
78	78	SENATE BILL 167
79	79	- 3 - LRB-1593/1
80	80	CMH:wlj
81	81	SECTION 3
82	82	prohibited from carrying a weapon, as well as an explanation of the provisions
83	83	under sub. (15m) and ss. 943.13 (1m) (c) and 948.605 (2) (b) 1r. that could limit the
84	84	places where the licensee may carry a weapon, with a place for the applicant to sign
85	85	his or her name to indicate that he or she has read and understands the statement.
86	86	SECTION 4. 175.60 (7) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 175.60 (7) (cm) 1. and
87	87	amended to read:
88	88	175.60 (7) (cm) 1. A fee for a background check that is equal to the fee charged
89	89	under s. 175.35 (2i) and a license fee in an amount, as determined by the
90	90	department by rule, that is equal to the cost of issuing the license but does not
91	91	exceed $37. The department shall determine the costs of issuing a license by using
92	92	a 5-year planning period.
93	93	SECTION 5. 175.60 (7) (cm) (intro.) and 2. of the statutes are created to read:
94	94	175.60 (7) (cm) (intro.) One of the following:
95	95	2. A statement that he or she is a teacher who holds a license or permit issued
96	96	by the state superintendent of public instruction or proof, as determined by the
97	97	department, that he or she is employed as a teacher in a private school or tribal
98	98	school located in this state.
99	99	SECTION 6. 175.60 (7) (d) of the statutes is repealed.
100	100	SECTION 7. 175.60 (15) (b) 3. (intro.) and b. of the statutes are created to read:
101	101	175.60 (15) (b) 3. (intro.) Submits one of the following:
102	102	b. A statement that the licensee is a teacher who holds a license or permit
103	103	issued by the state superintendent of public instruction or proof, as determined by
104	104	1
105	105	2
106	106	3
107	107	4
108	108	5
109	109	6
110	110	7
111	111	8
112	112	9
113	113	10
114	114	11
115	115	12
116	116	13
117	117	14
118	118	15
119	119	16
120	120	17
121	121	18
122	122	19
123	123	20
124	124	21
125	125	22 2025 - 2026 Legislature
126	126	SENATE BILL 167
127	127	- 4 - LRB-1593/1
128	128	CMH:wlj
129	129	SECTION 7
130	130	the department, that the licensee is employed as a teacher in a private school or
131	131	tribal school located in this state.
132	132	SECTION 8. 175.60 (15) (b) 4. (intro.) and b. of the statutes are repealed.
133	133	SECTION 9. 175.60 (15) (b) 4. a. of the statutes is renumbered 175.60 (15) (b)
134	134	3. a. and amended to read:
135	135	175.60 (15) (b) 3. a. A fee for a background check that is equal to the fee
136	136	charged under s. 175.35 (2i) and a renewal fee in an amount, as determined by the
137	137	department by rule, that is equal to the cost of renewing the license but does not
138	138	exceed $12. The department shall determine the costs of renewing a license by
139	139	using a 5-year planning period.
140	140	SECTION 10. 948.605 (1) (aj) of the statutes is created to read:
141	141	948.605 (1) (aj) XLicenseeY has the meaning given in s. 175.60 (1) (d).
142	142	SECTION 11. 948.605 (2) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 948.605 (2) (a) 1.
143	143	and amended to read:
144	144	948.605 (2) (a) 1. Any individual who knowingly possesses a firearm at a place
145	145	that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is in or on the
146	146	grounds of a school is guilty of a Class I felony.
147	147	2. Any individual who knowingly possesses a firearm at a place that the
148	148	individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is within 1,000 feet of the
149	149	grounds of a school is subject to a Class B forfeiture.
150	150	SECTION 12. 948.605 (2) (b) 1r. of the statutes is renumbered 948.605 (2) (bm)
151	151	2. and amended to read:
152	152	948.605 (2) (bm) 2. Except if the person is in or on the grounds of a school,
153	153	1
154	154	2
155	155	3
156	156	4
157	157	5
158	158	6
159	159	7
160	160	8
161	161	9
162	162	10
163	163	11
164	164	12
165	165	13
166	166	14
167	167	15
168	168	16
169	169	17
170	170	18
171	171	19
172	172	20
173	173	21
174	174	22
175	175	23 2025 - 2026 Legislature
176	176	SENATE BILL 167
177	177	- 5 - LRB-1593/1
178	178	CMH:wlj
179	179	SECTION 12
180	180	Paragraph (a) 2. does not apply to a licensee, as defined in s. 175.60 (1) (d), or an
181	181	out-of-state licensee, as defined in s. 175.60 (1) (g).
182	182	SECTION 13. 948.605 (2) (bm) 1. of the statutes is created to read:
183	183	948.605 (2) (bm) 1. Paragraph (a) 1. does not apply to a licensee who possesses
184	184	a firearm in or on the grounds of a school if the licensee is employed by the school
185	185	and one of the following applies:
186	186	a. If the school is a public school, other than a charter school established
187	187	under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), the school board has adopted a policy stating that
188	188	employees who are licensees may possess a firearm in or on the grounds of the
189	189	school.
190	190	b. If the school is a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x), the
191	191	operator of the charter school has adopted a policy stating that employees who are
192	192	licensees may possess a firearm in or on the grounds of the school.
193	193	c. If the school is a private, parochial, or tribal school, the governing body of
194	194	the school has adopted a policy stating that employees who are licensees may
195	195	possess a firearm in or on the grounds of the school.
196	196	SECTION 14. Initial applicability.
197	197	(1) LICENSE FEE WAIVERS. The treatment of ss. 20.455 (2) (gr) and 175.60 (7)
198	198	(c), (cm) (intro.) and 2., and (d) and (15) (b) 3. (intro.) and b. and 4. (intro.), a., and b.
199	199	first applies to applications submitted on the effective date of this subsection.
200	200	(END)
201	201	1
202	202	2
203	203	3
204	204	4
205	205	5
206	206	6
207	207	7
208	208	8
209	209	9
210	210	10
211	211	11
212	212	12
213	213	13
214	214	14
215	215	15
216	216	16
217	217	17
218	218	18
219	219	19
220	220	20
221	221	21