Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker signs $100 million school safety legislation

KAUKAUNA - In the wake of shootings around the country, Gov. Scott Walker on Monday signed a $100 million plan that would tighten school security but not put new limits on guns.

The debate over gun control has hit a high pitch in recent days as Democrats and Republicans trade attacks, and Sen. Kathleen Vinehout took criticism from a fellow Democratic candidate for governor over her opposition to some gun control measures.

The legislation signed by Walker provides schools with grants for building improvements and staffing training under the oversight of Walker's fellow Republican, Attorney General Brad Schimel.

Walker unveiled the legislation after a gunman with a semiautomatic rifle last month killed 17 at a high school in Parkland, Fla. The governor signed the measure two days after marchers nationally — including thousands in Madison and Milwaukee — demonstrated to demand gun control, but Walker argued that gun violence wasn't the right focus.

“We’re not just focusing on the threat from firearms,” he said. “We’re making sure that any threat to our schools is one that can be addressed by these grants.”

The legislation, Assembly Bill 843, moved swiftly through the Republican-controlled Legislature with bipartisan support. Last week, the Senate approved it 28-4 and the Assembly 78-8.

Although many of them voted for it, Democrats said Republicans were missing the point and needed to do more to stop school violence.

"Where is the bill that will keep a semiautomatic weapon out of the hands of an 18-year old? Where is the one thing most gun owners agree that they can get behind, universal background checks? This rushed response falls short," Sen. LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee) said after voting for the measure.

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The Assembly passed separate legislation last week that would add some additional steps to current background checks for the purchases of rifles and shotguns. But Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) has said his house is unlikely to take that legislation up.

On WKOW-TV Sunday, two Democratic candidates for governor disagreed over how far their party should go in pushing gun control.

Former state Rep. Kelda Roys of Madison said Democrats should push for banning high-capacity magazines, requiring background checks for all gun sales and bringing back the state's former 48-hour waiting period for handgun purchases.

On the program Capital City Sunday, Roys spoke of her own dismay at learning her young daughter had to play a game in her child care — being very quiet — that was actually a drill about hiding from a potential shooter.

"We do need to win (elections) statewide, but we’re not going to do it by compromising the safety of our children and compromising our values," Roys said. "Enough is enough."

Vinehout, the state senator, said Democrats can't adopt a blanket opposition to firearms if they want to win in rural areas. She said she's opposed the state's "stand your ground law" but backed concealed carry for those who have training.

Vinehout has opposed banning semiautomatic assault-style rifles because some of those rifles are used for hunting and also questioned whether a universal background check law would make it too hard for individuals to sell used guns. Vinehout took a $500 contribution from the National Rifle Association in her last campaign that she said was unsolicited.

"We have to have a discussion about policies related to guns and abortion that work statewide because continuing to argue it among ourselves doesn’t do anything for Democrats," Vinehout said.

State Republican Party spokesman Alec Zimmerman said that with the schools plan Walker had delivered "bipartisan reforms" while Democrats bickered.

"His Democrat opponents are taking their attacks on each other to new levels to score political points and appease their far-left base," Zimmerman said.

Walker's safety plan would create an Office of School Safety in Schimel's Department of Justice to administer the school safety grants and assist schools with their safety plans.

The legislation would also require school officials to report threats, just as they must report suspected child safety.

In his package, Walker also unsuccessfully sought from lawmakers the requirement that parents be notified about cases of bullying within 48 hours. Current law requires schools to notify parents of bullying but does not give a specific time frame for doing so.

The Assembly passed that proposal, but the Senate so far has declined to do so.

Patrick Marley and Jason Stein reported for this story in Madison and Chris Mueller in Kaukauna.