The new bill authored by State Rep. Joan Fitzgerald seeks to enhance child safety by mandating secure firearm storage in homes where children reside or are present, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.
According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “storage of a firearm in a residence if child is present and providing a penalty”.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates that individuals residing with or aware of the presence of a child under 18 in their home must store firearms in a securely locked box, container, or location, or engage a trigger lock on the firearm. Violating this law is classified as a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and escalates to a Class I felony for subsequent offenses. The bill replaces previous legislation that penalized improper storage of loaded firearms when accessed by children under 14, leading to harm or public safety endangerment. The legislation also provides that district attorneys may consider the emotional impact on the parents or guardians involved in accidental shootings when deciding on filing a complaint. Additionally, law enforcement cannot arrest a parent or guardian accused of such violations until seven days after the incident.
The bill was co-authored by Senator Chris Larson (Democrat-7th District), Representative Clinton M. Anderson (Democrat-45th District), Representative Deb Andraca (Democrat-23rd District), Representative Margaret Arney (Democrat-18th District), Representative Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Tim Carpenter (Democrat-3rd District), Senator Dianne H. Hesselbein (Democrat-27th District), and Senator Melissa Ratcliff (Democrat-16th District), along 20 other co-sponsors.
Joan Fitzgerald has co-authored or authored another 60 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with all of them being adopted.
Fitzgerald graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1986 with a BS.
Fitzgerald, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state’s 46th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Melissa Ratcliff.
In Wisconsin, the legislative process starts when a senator, constituent, group, or agency proposes an idea for a bill. After drafting, the bill is introduced, numbered, and referred to a committee for review and public input. If approved, it moves through three readings and votes in both the Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass the same version, the bill goes to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature. Only a small share of bills introduced each session ultimately become law. You can learn more about the Wisconsin legislative process here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| AB356 | 07/08/2025 | Storage of a firearm in a residence if child is present and providing a penalty |
| AB321 | 07/08/2025 | Prohibition against undetectable firearms, possessing a frame or receiver of a firearm without a serial number, and providing a penalty |
