Wisconsin Democrats propose bill to ban concealed carry on college campuses

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) — A school shooting is every parent's greatest fear. As families in Minneapolis comes to terms with their new reality, here in Wisconsin, new gun safety legislation was announced in Madison.

Right now, Wisconsin only has gun-free protections for K-12 schools but not colleges and universities. This new bill would change that.

"The worst thing that can happen for a parent is to receive a phone call saying their child has been shot," said Debra Gillispie, gun violence survivor and founder of Mothers Against Gun Violence.

Gillispie says this bill is a step in the right direction.

"Kids go to school to learn, not to be concerned about being shot at," said Gillispie.

On Wednesday, Democratic State Senator Kelda Roys and State Representative Brienne Brown introduced new legislation to protect youth and college students here in Wisconsin.

"Nobody should be living with the fear of gun violence, but certainly not young people on college campuses across the state," said Sen. Roys.

Sen. Roys says the bill is a simple way to save lives.

"Wisconsin already has gun-free school zones across the state. This bill simply applies those protections to college campuses. In general, you cannot carry, on campus grounds, a weapon, and you cannot have a concealed carry weapon," Sen. Roys explained.

The announcement came less than an hour after yet another mass shooting at a school on the south end of Minneapolis.

"I just heard the news about Minneapolis this morning and I'm pretty frustrated," said Rep. Brown.

Rep. Brown says Wisconsin is one of 11 states that allows concealed carry on college campuses.

"For decades, we have absorbed images of children dying at the hands of armed shooters, and we have witnessed adults doing nothing about it," Rep. Brown said.

She says she wants to see Wisconsin follow states like Florida, Alabama and Ohio, that have banned concealed carry on campuses.

"Banning concealed carry on college campuses is not a radical idea. Republicans and Democrats have agreed on this all over the country," said Rep. Brown.

Until then, Gillispie will keep asking the tough questions.

"My question to our elected officials is, who do you need to lose so you can understand the importance of passing responsible gun laws?" said Gillispie.

Rep. Brown's office says their next step is to apply pressure to Republicans to hold a hearing for the bill.