A new bill authored by State Sen. Tim Carpenter in the Wisconsin Senate seeks to regulate firearm storage to enhance child safety in residences, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.
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 prohibits individuals from storing or leaving a firearm at their residence if they live with or are aware a child under 18 will be present, unless the firearm is in a securely locked box or container, or a trigger lock is engaged. The bill, which goes into effect July 1, replaces the existing law that targets reckless storage leading to a child obtaining and misusing a firearm. A first-time offender is charged with a Class A misdemeanor, and subsequent offenses are classified as Class I felonies. It addresses the role of district attorneys in considering the emotional impact on parents involved in accidental shootings when determining whether to file a complaint, and mandates a seven-day waiting period before law enforcement can arrest a parent or guardian after such incidents.
The bill was co-authored by Representative Lisa Subeck (Democrat-79th District), Senator Dianne H. Hesselbein (Democrat-27th District), Senator Melissa Ratcliff (Democrat-16th District), Senator Kelda Roys (Democrat-26th District), Senator Jeff Smith (Democrat-31st District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Clinton M. Anderson (Democrat-45th District), Representative Deb Andraca (Democrat-23rd District), and Representative Margaret Arney (Democrat-18th District), along 20 other co-sponsors.
Tim Carpenter has co-authored or authored another 68 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with all of them being adopted.
Carpenter graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1982 with a BA.
Carpenter, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2003 to represent the state’s 3rd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Brian Burke.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SB368 | 07/09/2025 | Storage of a firearm in a residence if child is present and providing a penalty |
| SB362 | 06/27/2025 | Forms of proof of identification for voting |
| SB361 | 06/27/2025 | Authorizing electors to vote in the primary of more than one political party. (FE) |
| SB360 | 06/27/2025 | Limiting the release of certain balloons into the atmosphere, granting rule-making authority, and providing a penalty |
| SB355 | 06/27/2025 | Establishing a civil cause of action for civil rights violations |
| SB352 | 06/27/2025 | Grants to hire school mental health professionals who are members of a racial minority group, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| SB351 | 06/27/2025 | Funding for University of Wisconsin System student health services and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| SB350 | 06/27/2025 | School mental health and pupil wellness aid and making an appropriation |
| SB349 | 06/27/2025 | Payment for school medical services. (FE) |
| SB348 | 06/27/2025 | Training to address student mental health and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| SB347 | 06/27/2025 | Aid for comprehensive school mental health services and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| SB343 | 06/27/2025 | Requiring bicycle and pedestrian facilities in highway projects and granting rule-making authority. (FE) |
| SB336 | 06/19/2025 | Sales and transfers of firearms and providing a penalty. (FE) |
| SB324 | 06/12/2025 | Prohibiting conversion therapy |
| SB321 | 06/12/2025 | Adopting gender-neutral terminology and incorporating gender-neutral marriage and parentage rights. (FE) |
| SB320 | 06/12/2025 | Grants for LGBTQIA+ rights training for school counselors and school social workers and making an appropriation. (FE) |
| SB278 | 05/22/2025 | Sunset of the community-oriented policing-house grant program |
| SB272 | 05/21/2025 | Eligibility for Family Care for individuals who are deaf-blind. (FE) |
