WISCONSIN GOVERNOR VETOES CONCEALED CARRY BILL

January 21, 2005--Late last evening, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle vetoed SB403, the Personal Protection Act shall-issue concealed weapons carry bill.

Governor Doyle vetoed similar legislation in January of 2004.

The authors of the bill--Senator Dave Zien and Representative Scott Gunderson--believe they have the votes to override the veto.

Democrat leaders in the Assembly predict that a veto override attempt will fail.

The Senate will take up the veto override vote first, since there are more than the 22 required votes to override there. Supporters of the bill predict they will get as many as 24 votes.

In the Assembly, the vote is much tighter. In a session that lasted until 3am on December 14th, the Assembly passed the bill by a vote of 64 to 33. One Republican was absent due to illness, and vacant Republican seat had yet to be filled.

With the election of Republican Scott Newcomer, supporters say they are at the 66 required votes.

However, two Democrat representatives who voted for the bill have not yet publicly committed to voting for the veto override.

Democrat Representative John Steinbrink of Kenosha has said he is uncertain whether he will vote to override. Representative Steinbrink voted for the bill in 2002, again in 2003, voted to override the governor's veto in 2004, and voted for the bill in December. Thus, it will be difficult for him to justify switching sides.

Similarly, Democrat Representative Terry Van Akkeren of Sheboygan, who is not committing publicly to an override, has voted for the bill and for the veto override previously.

In February of 2004, supporters of the bill were stunned when Representative Gary Sherman switched sides, resulting in the failure to override Doyle's veto. Sherman had voted for the bill in 2002, had signed on as a co-sponsor in June of 2003, and had voted for the bill in November of 2004.

The NRA has promised to use all of its resources to punish any legislator who switches sides on the veto.

Both Steinbrink and Van Akkeren are up for re-election in November.