Sen. Johnson authors Wisconsin Senate bill establishing handgun waiting period

A new bill authored by State Sen. LaTonya Johnson in the Wisconsin Senate seeks to implement a mandatory waiting period to regulate handgun sales and ensure legal compliance, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature’s official website, the bill was described as follows: “waiting period for purchase of handguns”.

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

In essence, this bill amends existing statutes to establish a mandatory 48-hour waiting period for the purchase of handguns in Wisconsin, starting from the time a federally licensed firearms dealer requests a background check on a prospective purchaser from the Department of Justice. During this period, the dealer cannot transfer the handgun to the purchaser. The purpose of the background check is to determine if the purchaser is prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law. Should the initial background check indicate uncertainty about the purchaser’s eligibility, the Department of Justice is required to make every effort to clarify the individual’s legal status within five working days of the request. This act will apply to sales occurring on or after its effective date.

The bill was co-authored by Representative Shelia Stubbs (Democrat-78th District), Senator Tim Carpenter (Democrat-3rd District), Senator Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (Democrat-18th District), Senator Dora E. Drake (Democrat-4th District), Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin (Democrat-8th 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 45 other co-sponsors.

LaTonya Johnson has authored or co-authored another 29 bills since the beginning of the 2025 session, with all of them being adopted.

Johnson graduated from Tennessee State University in 1997 with a BS.

Johnson, a Democrat, was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate in 2017 to represent the state’s 6th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Nikiya Harris Dodd.

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.