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Gun owners with permits from 25 states, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands will be able to carry their weapons concealed in Wisconsin next month.

The reciprocity list was announced late Thursday by Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen along with an updated set of frequently asked questions at www.doj.state.wi.us/about the new concealed carry law set to take effect Nov. 1.

"This newly created page provides important updates, including a link to the emergency rules, application and training requirements information, and a model certificate to serve as a guide for instructors providing students with proof of training. Permit application forms will be made available online and by mail on November 1, 2011," a Department of Justice announcement read.

The DOJ has also announced Wisconsin will recognize concealed carry permits issued by the following 25 states:

Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

Permits issued by Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands also will be recognized in Wisconsin.

The move comes amidst growing debate over a proposed national concealed carry law that would require all states to recognize permits issued by other states. Mayor Tom Barrett of Milwaukee is among 600 mayors who signed a full-page ad in USA Today urging the U.S. Senate not to adopt the law.

Van Hollen wrote a letter to the National Rifle Association, saying he disagrees with a requirement that people who want to carry concealed weapons must take training courses. But he told the gun group that he had to set a rule establishing a minimum number of hours of training because of the way his fellow Republicans in the Legislature wrote the law.

"It is my personal belief that while individuals would be well served by receiving firearms safety instruction before carrying a weapon, the law should not mandate this instruction," he wrote. "My personal beliefs, however, are not relevant to my interpretation of the law."

Van Hollen wrote the letter in response to criticism from the NRA over a rule he wrote that stipulates firearms training courses must be at least four hours long.

Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report from Madison.