Madison Reporter

A new bill authored by State Rep. Shelia Stubbs in the Wisconsin Assembly aims to regulate firearm sales and transfers to enhance public safety, according to the Wisconsin State Assembly.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "sales and transfers of firearms and providing a penalty. (FE)".

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill aims to regulate firearm sales and transfers by requiring that they occur through federally licensed firearms dealers, incorporating background checks to ensure the transferee is not prohibited from possessing firearms under state or federal law. Exceptions to this requirement include transfers to firearms dealers or law enforcement agencies, transfers classified as antiques, or those made as gifts, bequests, or inheritances to family members. Violations of this regulation are considered misdemeanors, with penalties including fines ranging from $500 to $10,000, imprisonment for up to nine months, and a two-year prohibition on firearm possession for convicted individuals. The bill is set to take effect on the first day of the 10th month following its publication.

The bill was co-authored by Senator LaTonya Johnson (Democrat-6th District), Representative Clinton M. Anderson (Democrat-45th District), Representative Margaret Arney (Democrat-18th District), Representative Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District), Representative Jill Billings (Democrat-95th District). It was co-sponsored by Senator Tim Carpenter (Democrat-3rd District), Senator Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (Democrat-18th District), and Senator Dora E. Drake (Democrat-4th District), along 42 other co-sponsors.

Shelia Stubbs has authored or co-authored another 75 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with all of them being adopted.

Stubbs graduated from Tougaloo College with a BA and again from Mount Senario College with a BS.

Stubbs, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2025 to represent the state's 78th Assembly district, replacing previous state representative Lisa Subeck.

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
AB325	07/08/2025	Sales and transfers of firearms and providing a penalty. (FE)
AB324	07/08/2025	Waiting period for purchase of handguns
AB319	07/08/2025	Extreme risk protection temporary restraining orders and injunctions, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. (FE)
AB293	05/30/2025	Sunset of the community-oriented policing-house grant program
AB101	03/03/2025	Requiring school districts to report information related to American Indian children attending school in the school district
AB96	02/28/2025	Ratification of the agreement negotiated between the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2024-25 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. (FE)
AB95	02/28/2025	Ratification of the agreement negotiated between the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2024-25 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. (FE)
AB94	02/28/2025	Ratification of the agreement negotiated between the State of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin State Building Trades Negotiating Committee, for the 2024-25 fiscal year, covering employees in the building trades crafts collective bargaining unit, and authorizing an expenditure of funds. (FE)