SB543: Bill Text

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2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Senate BILL 543

October 31, 2019 - Introduced by Senators Bernier, Carpenter, Feyen, Olsen, L. Taylor, Schachtner and Larson, cosponsored by Representatives James, Sargent, Bowen, Anderson, Ballweg, Cabrera, Considine, Doyle, Duchow, Edming, Kitchens, Kulp, Kurtz, Loudenbeck, B. Meyers, Milroy, Mursau, Neubauer, Novak, Oldenburg, Petersen, Petryk, Plumer, Ramthun, Riemer, Rohrkaste, Sanfelippo, Schraa, Shankland, Sinicki, Spreitzer, Subeck, C. Taylor, Tittl, Tranel, Tusler, Vining, Vruwink, Zamarripa, Zimmerman, Wittke and Dittrich. Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services.

SB543,1,2 An Act to create 20.435 (5) (eh) and 51.73 of the statutes; relating to: grants related to preventing suicide by firearm and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Department of Health Services to award grants to organizations or coalitions of organizations, including cities, villages, towns, and counties, for 1) sharing guidelines and training staff at a firearm retailer or firearm range on avoiding selling or renting a firearm to persons who may be considering suicide; 2) providing suicide prevention materials for distribution at a firearm retailer or firearm range; or 3) providing voluntary firearm storage. A grant recipient must contribute matching funds or in-kind services having a value equal to at least 20 percent of the grant amount.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB543,1 Section 1 . 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

SB543,2 Section 2 . 20.435 (5) (eh) of the statutes is created to read:

SB543,2,3 20.435 (5) (eh) Grants to prevent suicide by firearm. Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for grants related to preventing suicide by firearm under s. 51.73.

SB543,3 Section 3 . 51.73 of the statutes is created to read:

SB543,2,8 51.73 Grants to prevent suicide by firearm. (1) From the appropriation under s. 20.435 (5) (eh), the department shall award grants to organizations or coalitions of organizations, which may include a city, village, town, or county, for any of the following purposes:

SB543,2,10 (a) To share guidelines and train staff at a firearm retailer or firearm range on how to avoid selling or renting a firearm to a person who may be considering suicide.

SB543,2,12 (b) To provide suicide prevention materials for distribution at a firearm retailer or firearm range.

SB543,2,13 (c) To provide voluntary firearm storage.

SB543,2,16 (2) The department may not award a grant under sub. (1) unless the recipient contributes matching funds or in-kind services having a value equal to at least 20 percent of the grant.

SB543,3,3 (3) The department may not award a grant to a recipient under sub. (1) for an amount that exceeds $5,000. The department may not award a grant under sub (1) having a duration of more than one year and may not renew a grant awarded under sub. (1). In awarding grants under sub. (1), the department shall give preference to organizations or coalitions of organizations that have not received a grant under this section.

SB543,3,4 (End)