7/2/11 – Governor Scott Walker will sign the concealed weapons bill one week from yesterday – and it will take effect this fall. The Republican Walker has scheduled a ceremony for next Friday afternoon in Wausau. That’s the home city of freshman Senate Republican Pam Galloway, who authored a much less restrictive package than what the governor was eventually willing to accept. Galloway had pushed for the so-called “constitutional carry,” with no requirement for gun training — no need to get a state permit with a very limited exception – and as few places as possible where guns would automatically be restricted. Walker will sign a bill that tightened up standards on all those counts. It requires state permits and training, and it adds more government-owned places where concealed weapons will automatically be banned. Private businesses can post signs to ban concealed carry – but they might end up being liable in the event of a shooting on their property. A key Republican leader says it has not turned out to be a problem in other states. Wisconsin will end a 140-year ban on concealed weapons. That leaves Illinois as the only state not to allow some form of hidden guns.
