Representative Lisa Subeck’s Statement on Special Session

MADISON – State Representative Lisa Subeck (D – Madison) issued the following statement today in response to Governor Walker’s call for a special session on school safety:   “Only now, feeling the pressure of a tough re-election bid, does Governor Walker show an interest in addressing the challenges our schools and communities face during this epidemic of gun violence. Unfortunately, the Governor’s plan fails to address measures to keep guns out of the hands of those who intend to do harm and fails to keep our schools and our children safe.   Keeping our children safe – whether at school, at home, or out in the community – must be a top priority, and this takes more than unsustainable one time grants, video footage when it’s already too late, or new locks on the doors. We can keep guns out of the hands of those who intend to do harm, yet the Governor and Republicans have refused to act on common sense measures like universal background checks that prevent dangerous people from purchasing firearms.   In addition to a proposal that would allow school districts to exceed state-imposed revenue limits for security-related expenditures, Democrats have proposed legislation to close the background check loophole, ban bump stocks that are used to turn guns into automatic weapons, and prevent domestic violence perpetrators from owning guns. Republicans have failed to act to prevent gun violence and to keep our schools and public spaces safe.   The Governor’s plan, and any action that does not include measures to keep guns out of the hands of those who intend to do harm, fails to keep our schools and our children safe.”   ###