Senate votes to end Wisconsin’s handgun waiting period

Taking action as gun violence captures particular attention across the state and especially in Milwaukee, the state Senate on Tuesday approved a repeal of the state’s two-day waiting period for handgun purchases, sending the bill to the Assembly on a voice vote.

Current state law prohibits consumers from taking a handgun from the store until 48 hours after a background check is started, with that waiting period extended three additional days in certain cases. Under the bill proposed by Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) and supported by Gov. Scott Walker, handgun purchasers could take possession of them as soon as they clear state background checks that with today’s technology typically take a matter of hours.

“There’s no statistical evidence that it reduces violence whatsoever,” Wanggaard said of the so-called cooling off period.