Wisconsin bill would better verify domestic abuse suspects' gun possession [View all]

In many Wisconsin counties, judges don't know if domestic abusers own firearms — even though a state law makes it illegal for them to do so. And if an abuser lies about owning guns or ignores a court order to turn them over, there is often no follow-up and no penalty.

That could soon change under a bipartisan bill that would set up a process for allowing courts to verify whether people subject to domestic violence and child abuse restraining orders surrender their weapons. The bill, which author Garey Bies (R-Sister Bay) began circulating for co-sponsors Monday, also has the support of the judiciary.

Bies expects the bill will get a speedy hearing and a vote in the state Assembly by the end of the year.

"When people are in a situation where they are supposed to turn their guns in, we will make sure it's done," said Bies, former chief deputy sheriff in Door County. "That way, if something arises, they won't have easy access to a weapon. They will have to work harder to find one, and maybe by then they will have calmed down a little bit. That's the goal: To take away the heat-of-passion type situations."

Read More: http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/wisconsin-bill-would-better-verify-abuse-suspects-gun-possession-b99104414z1-224942522.html