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Bills · 2025-2026 Regular Session

SB 368

Died at session end Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: storage of a firearm in a residence if child is present and providing a penalty.

Children Firearms and dangerous weapons Housing Legislature — Criminal penalties joint review committee on Youth

  1. Introduced, stopped here
  2. Passes Senate, not reached
  3. Passes Assembly, not reached
  4. Governor signs, not reached
  5. Law, not reached

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill prohibits a person from storing or leaving a firearm at his or her residence if the person resides with a child who is under the age of 18, or knows a child who is under the age of 18 will be present in the residence, unless the firearm is in a securely locked box or container or other secure locked location or has a trigger lock engaged. A person who violates this prohibition is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class I felony for a subsequent offense. This prohibition replaces the current law that penalizes a person who recklessly stores or leaves a loaded firearm within reach of a child who is under 14 if the child obtains it and does one of the following: 1) discharges the firearm and causes bodily harm or death (Class A misdemeanor); or 2) possesses or exhibits the firearm in a public place or endangers public safety (Class C misdemeanor).

Because this bill creates a new crime or revises a penalty for an existing crime, the Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties may be requested to prepare a report.

Sponsors

Introduced by: Carpenter (D) , Hesselbein (D) , Larson (D) , Ratcliff (D) , Roys (D) , Smith (D)

27 cosponsors

Anderson (D) , Andraca (D) , Arney (D) , Bare (D) , Brown (D) , Cruz (D) , DeSmidt (D) , Fitzgerald (D) , Goodwin (D) , Haywood (D) , J. Jacobson (D) , Joers (D) , Johnson (D) , Keyeski (D) , Mayadev (D) , Neubauer (D) , Ortiz-Velez (D) , Palmeri (D) , Prado (D) , Roe (D) , Sinicki (D) , Stroud (D) , Stubbs (D) , Subeck (D) , Tenorio (D) , Udell (D) , Vining (D)

Registered lobbying interests · 4

Organizations that registered lobbying activity on this bill with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission. Registration means interest, not a position for or against. Official record

Full history

  1. Jul 9, 2025 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Larson, Carpenter, Hesselbein, Ratcliff, Roys and Smith; cosponsored by Representatives Subeck, Fitzgerald, Anderson, Andraca, Arney, Bare, Brown, Cruz, DeSmidt, Goodwin, Haywood, Joers, Johnson, Mayadev, Neubauer, Ortiz-Velez, Palmeri, Prado, Roe, Sinicki, Stroud, Stubbs, Tenorio, Udell and Vining

  2. Jul 9, 2025 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs

  3. Oct 13, 2025 · Senate

    Senator Keyeski added as a coauthor

  4. Oct 28, 2025 · Senate

    Representative J. Jacobson added as a cosponsor

  5. Mar 23, 2026 · Senate

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1