Milwaukee City Wire

A bill authored by State Sen. LaTonya Johnson in the Wisconsin Senate aims to prevent harm by allowing courts to temporarily restrict firearm possession for those deemed likely to cause injury, according to the Wisconsin State Senate.

According to the Wisconsin State Legislature's official website, the bill was described as follows: "extreme risk protection temporary restraining orders and injunctions, making an appropriation, 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, this bill establishes extreme risk protection (ERP) orders, allowing law enforcement or family members to petition a court to temporarily restrict a person from possessing firearms if they are deemed substantially likely to harm themselves or others. It permits courts to issue temporary restraining orders (TROs) and, following a hearing, possible injunctions which can last up to one year, both requiring the surrender of firearms. Violating these orders constitutes a Class G felony. Additionally, falsifying a petition is a Class H felony. The bill allocates grants for law enforcement training related to identifying individuals at risk and filing ERP orders, with appropriations of $700,000 annually for 2025-26 and 2026-27. The ERP orders will require expedited hearings, personal serving of orders, and firearms surrender confirmation within set timeframes, ensuring the respondent's compliance until the injunction hearing, which should take place within 14 days. The Department of Administration is tasked with supporting enforcement through training grants, and the bill may prompt a report from the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties due to its introduction of new legal penalties.

The bill was co-authored by Representative Deb Andraca (Democrat-23rd District), Senator Tim Carpenter (Democrat-3rd District), Senator Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (Democrat-18th District), Senator Dora E. Drake (Democrat-4th District), and Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin (Democrat-8th District). It was co-sponsored by Representative Clinton M. Anderson (Democrat-45th District), Representative Margaret Arney (Democrat-18th District), and Representative Mike Bare (Democrat-80th District), along with 35 other co-sponsors.

LaTonya Johnson has authored or co-authored another 28 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.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
SB329	06/19/2025	Extreme risk protection temporary restraining orders and injunctions, making an appropriation, and providing a penalty. (FE)
SB250	05/09/2025	Prohibiting abandonment of a boat and providing a penalty
SB187	04/14/2025	Study of guaranteed employment grant program and making an appropriation. (FE)
SB135	03/14/2025	Special observance days in schools