Politics
In wake of school shooting, Wisconsin Gov. Evers creates new violence-prevention office, that’s opposed by Republicans

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s Democratic governor on Tuesday created a new office dedicated to preventing gun violence, a month after a school shooting not far from the state Capitol and an idea that drew immediate opposition from Republicans, who said it was misguided.
Gov. Tony Evers also called on the Republican-controlled Legislature to pass a series of gun reform and public safety measures, saying reducing violence should be a “shared priority that transcends politics.”
La Crosse School superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, discussed school shootings and safety measures this week on WIZM’s La Crosse Talk.
The Legislature has already rejected numerous gun reform measures put forward by Evers, including universal background checks for gun purchases. Evers, though, said the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School last month demonstrated the need for lawmakers to act.
“Reducing crime and violence should be an issue that receives earnest bipartisan support,” Evers said at a news conference surrounded by gun control advocates, Democratic lawmakers and the mayor and police chief of Madison, who responded to last month’s school shooting.
A 14-year-old girl at the private school, as well as a 42-year-old teacher were shot and killed. Six others were injured, after the 15-year-old girl opened fire during study hall.
Republicans were not on board with the governor’s initiative.
Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos blasted the proposal as “not well thought out” and said it amounts to “a whole bunch of touchy feely bureaucrats that are going to go around wasting time, wasting money and certainly not putting the effort where it’s deserved.”
“You know what the most effective violence prevention office is? The police,” Vos said at a news conference.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu was noncommittal, but he emphasized that GOP lawmakers have supported spending on other initiatives to address violence.
The state Legislature was sworn in a week ago. The first order of business for Republicans, who control the Assembly and Senate, was to put another constitutional amendment on the spring ballot for something that’s already state law.
Evers signed an executive order creating a statewide office of violence prevention — a move that does not require legislative approval. He said the office will work with local partners, including law enforcement agencies, nonprofits, school districts and gun shop owners with the goal of reducing gun violence.
Creating the office was discussed prior to the school shooting, but the shooting “cemented” his plans, Evers said.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes, who is leaving next month to become Seattle’s chief of police, called the new anti-violence office a “transformative approach to understanding and addressing the root causes of violence in our society.”
“No city, no matter the size, reputation, or claim to fame, is immune from gun violence,” Barnes said. “We must recognize that to truly safeguard our neighborhoods, we need a comprehensive understanding of violence that goes beyond traditional policing.”
The office will work to develop public education campaigns and promote safer communities, Evers said. It will also award grants to reduce violence, in particular gun violence, to school districts, firearm dealers, law enforcement agencies, nonprofits and government agencies.
Evers announced $10 million in federal funding to create the office. He said his state budget being submitted to the Legislature next month will request more state money to sustain the office over the next two years.
Vos said Assembly Republicans would oppose the request, while the state, over the past two years, has had between a $3 billion and $7 billion budget surplus — which currently sits around $4.5 billion.
Evers also said he would be proposing a sweeping package of gun violence and public safety measures.
Republican majorities in the Legislature shrunk after the November election, leading Evers and Democrats to say they hoped for more bipartisanship and consideration of ideas that have been summarily rejected in the past.
following the Dec. 16 shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School that left a student, teacher and the 15-year-old shooter dead, Republicans have not voiced support for any gun control measures backed by Democrats.
Wisconsin polls have repeatedly shown high public support for a variety of gun control measures.
Evers, in 2019, called a special session of the Legislature to pass a universal gun background check bill and a “red flag” proposal that would allow judges to take guns away from people determined to be a risk to themselves or others. Republicans immediately adjourned without debating the measures. It was the first of a dozen special sessions Evers has called since 2019, most of which had been gaveled in and out of in a matter of seconds by the GOP.
Democrats have reintroduced those and more than two dozen other gun safety bills over the past six years, but Republicans have repeatedly refused to take them up. Republicans, instead, have introduced bills that would expand access to guns and discussed arming teachers. Evers in 2022 vetoed Republican bills that would have allowed holders of concealed carry permits to have firearms in vehicles on school grounds and in churches located on the grounds of a private school.

Come On Man
January 15, 2025 at 10:10 am
Bla, Bla, Bla another government office full of people who talk about what we can do to prevent school shootings.
How about taking the ten million dollars and have school resource officers on campus and yes, metal detectors to help with stopping this violence?
Real solutions to a real problem not just another feel good band aid to a serious problem of keeping our children safe.
walden
January 15, 2025 at 5:48 pm
WI recently received a $22 million installment payment related to the opiate class action suits. Evers quickly turned around and awarded $1.7 million to an unnamed party to construct a web site listing opiate social services available to recovering addicts.
Thinks about it…$1.7 million to build a web site redundant to all the county and social services websites already existing. There is no reasonable way such a web site should cost more than $50,000 to develop. Dems measure success by how much money they piss away.
Web site contractor +$1.7 million. Recovering opiate addicts $0.