- GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER THIS
WEEK SAID HE OPPOSES ARMING
SCHOOL TEACHERS, BUT IS WORKING
UP A PACKAGE OF BILLS TO ADDRESS
SCHOOL SAFETY, WHICH COULD BE
INTRODUCED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF
WEEKS IN SPECIAL SESSION.
SEPARATELY, A BILL TO HELP FUND
REMEMBER AD SCHOOL SAFETY
OFFICERS IS IN THE LAP OF THE
STATE SENATE, ALONG WITH OTHER
MEASURES ALREADY PARSED IN THE
ASSEMBLY, INCLUDING JUVENILE
PRISON REFORM AND CHILD TAX
CREDITS.
WE WILL TALK WITH MINORITY
LEADER JENNIFER SHILLING ABOUT
DEMOCRATICS' IDEAS, BUT FIRST WE
TURN TO REPUBLICANS.
- I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A
LOT OF DETAILS ON THE GOVERNOR'S
PACKAGE YET.
I'VE REACHED OUT TO ALL OF THE
SCHOOLS IN MY SENATE DISTRICT
AND HAVE ASKED THEM THEIR
OPINION, WHAT ARE THEY DOING N
OW, AND WHERE ARE THERE GAPS
THAT MAYBE THE STATE COULD FILL
IN.
SO BY AND LARGE WHAT I'M HEARING
FROM MY SCHOOL DISTRICTS IS THAT
I THINK IN WISCONSIN, ESPECIALLY
MY DISTRICT, I THINK WE'RE DOING
A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF BEING
PROACTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO
SCHOOL SAFETY.
OUR DOORS ARE LOCKED.
OUR STAFF HAVE GONE THROUGH
TRAINING, LIVE SHOOTER TRAINING,
WHICH IS GOOD.
MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE
DEDICATED SCHOOL RESOURCE
OFFICERS THAT ARE THERE, YOU
KNOW, PROVIDING PROTECTION AT
OUR SCHOOLS.
SO I THINK FOR THE MOST PART
SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT ARE DOING
A LOT OF GOOD THINGS AND WAITING
TO HEAR BACK FROM THEM TO SEE IF
THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THEY CAN
DO.
I'VE GOT A LOT OF SMALL, RURAL
DISTRICTS IN MY SENATE DISTRICT,
SO ONE OF MY SCHOOL DISTRICTS
ADMINISTRATORS FROM ROYAL SCHOOL
DISTRICT IN ELROY, THEY'VE TAKEN
THE INITIATIVE TO ASSIGN EVERY
ONE OF THEIR PUPILS TO A STAFF
PERSON SO THAT EVERY STAFF --
EVERY STUDENT IS ASSIGNED.
AND SO WE DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW,
STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, BEING --
GOING OFF ON THEIR OWN BEING
DISTURBED, WHICH I THINK IS A
GOOD THING.
THOSE KIND OF SOLUTIONS MAY WORK
WELL IN MY RURAL DISTRICT.
MAY NOT WORK WELL IN LARGE URBAN
DISTRICTS.
- DO YOU DIFFER WITH THE
GOVERNOR ON ARMING SCHOOL
TEACHERS OR HOW DO YOU FEEL
ABOUT THAT?
- WELL, I HEARD FROM MY
SUPERINTENDENTS.
THE FEEDBACK RANGES FROM YES,
THEY WANT TO BE ARMED, THEY
SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM IS
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
THE FEEDBACK I'VE GOTTEN FROM MY
SUPERINTENDENTS RANGES THE FULL
SPECTRUM.
- AS YOU KNOW, DEMOCRATS HAVE
SPECIFIC PROPOSALS, INCLUDING
UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS,
BANNING ASSAULT STYLE WEAPONS,
48-HOUR WAIT PERIODS AND OTHER
THINGS.
WOULD YOU OR OTHER LAWMAKERS WHO
HAVE RECEIVED CONTRIBUTIONS FROM
THE NRA SUPPORT ANY OF THOSE?
- WELL, I'M FOCUSED MORE ON
SCHOOL SAFETY, ON TRYING TO MAKE
SURE THAT STUDENTS IN OUR
SCHOOLS ARE SAFE.
AND SO I JUST THINK THAT MY
FOCUS IS GOING TO BE ON TRYING
TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS
HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED AND
THAT WE DO ALL WE CAN TO KEEP
OUR STUDENTS SAFE.
- WHAT'S YOUR POSITION ON THE
IDEA OF THESE ORDERS THAT WOULD
REMOVE GUNS FROM POTENTIALLY
DANGEROUS PEOPLE WHEN THEIR
FAMILY OR LAW ENFORCEMENT KIND
OF REPORTED THAT SO-CALLED RED
FLAG LAW, WHAT'S YOUR POSITION
ON THOSE?
- WELL, I CAN SHARE WITH YOU A
SITUATION THAT HAPPENED IN
LAFAYETTE COUNTY FIVE OR SIX
YEARS AGO.
WE HAD A MURDER IN LAFAYETTE
COUNTY.
WE HAD SOMEBODY FROM WAUKESHA
WHOSE PARENTS WERE CONCERNED
ABOUT THEIR SON, THEIR ADULT S
ON, WHO HAD DONE SOME
RIDICULOUS THINGS, APPARENTLY,
AND THEY ALERTED LAW E
NFORCEMENT, THEY ALERTED A
NUMBER OF AGENCIES, AND THEY HAD
CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR SON.
AND BECAUSE THEY DETERMINED THE
SON WAS NOT A THREAT TO HIMSELF
AND HAD NOT HURT ANYBODY,
NOTHING WAS DONE.
AND THIS PERSON ENDED UP COMING
INTO MY DISTRICT AND ENDED UP
MURDERING THREE MEMBERS OF THE
FAMILY IN LAFAYETTE COUNTY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT A LOT
OF CASES WE'VE GOT PROCESSES IN
PLACE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE
THINGS.
WE NEED TO BE MORE ATTENTIVE AND
RESPONSIVE I THINK TO THOSE
KINDS OF SITUATIONS.
- LET ME GET TO SOME OTHER
MATTERS.
AS FOR THE JUVENILE PRISON
REFORM THAT WOULD CLOSE LINCOLN
HILLS, HOW WILL THE SENATE VOTE
ON THAT?
- WE HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT THAT
YET IN CAUCUS.
YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT
OF CONVERSATIONS.
I BELIEVE THERE'S CONSENSUS THAT
WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING AS FAR
AS CLOSING LINCOLN HILLS.
THE PROPOSAL THAT IS OUT THERE
IS SIGNIFICANT, A LOT OF MOVING
PARTS IN TERMS OF CLOSING THAT
FACILITY, OPENING UP REGIONAL
FACILITIES.
THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THE
INVOLVEMENT, THE SUPPORT OF OUR
LOCAL SHERIFFS DEPARTMENTS TO
MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BIG DOLLAR ITEM.
AND I GUESS I JUST WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WHATEVER WE DO IS WELL
THOUGHT OUT, BECAUSE, AGAIN,
IT'S GOING TO AFFECT A LOT OF
DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND A LOT OF
PEOPLE.
- ALL RIGHT.
WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THERE.
SENATOR MARKLEIN, THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US.
- THANK YOU.
- WE TURN NOW TO SENATE
MINORITY LEADER JENNIFER
SHILLING AND WHERE DEMOCRATS
STAND ON GUN AND SCHOOL SAFETY.
SHE JOINS US FROM LA CROSSE AND
THANKS A LOT FOR DOING SO.
- THANK YOU.
- SO WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON
GOVERNOR WALKER CALLING A
POTENTIALLY SPECIAL SESSION ON
SCHOOL SAFETY BILLS?
- WELL, IT'S CERTAINLY LONG
OVERDUE.
I THINK WE HAVE NOT TAKEN ON
THIS ISSUE AS VIGILANTLY AS WE
SHOULD HAVE IN THE PAST, AND
CERTAINLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN
THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS, YOU KNOW,
IN FLORIDA HAS PUT THIS FORWARD
FRONT AND CENTER, BOTH IN
CONGRESS AND IN STATE
LEGISLATURES ACROSS THE STATE --
OR ACROSS THE NATION.
- WHAT DO YOU THINK ANY OF
THESE BILLS SHOULD INCLUDE?
- WELL, AS WE ALL TOO OFTEN GO
TO OUR POLITICAL AND EMOTIONAL
CORNERS WHEN WE START TO TALK
ABOUT GUN SAFETY IN THIS STATE,
I THINK FIRST OF ALL BUSINESSES
ARE TAKING A STEP FORWARD.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE SEEN DICKS
SPORTING GOODS AND WALMART AND
OTHERS ARE FOLLOWING.
THEY'RE FRUSTRATED THERE'S BEEN
A LACK OF ACTION BY LAWMAKERS TO
DO SOME REASONABLE CHANGES OF
LAW WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESS TO
FIREARMS AND WEAPONS.
SO CERTAINLY LOOKING AT
INCREASING THE AGE TO PURCHASE
FIREARMS.
I KNOW THAT MY DEMOCRATIC
COLLEAGUES FOR SEVERAL SESSIONS
HAVE INTRODUCED LEGISLATION TO
LOOK AT UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND
CHECKS AND THE PUBLIC IS
CERTAINLY THERE ON THAT.
THAT IS OVERWHELMING SUPPORT.
BUT IT'S ALSO LOOKING AT
REINSTATING THE 24-HOUR WAITING
PERIOD.
LAST WEEK ON THE FLOOR I HAD AN
AMENDMENT THAT WOULD HAVE
ALLOWED SCHOOLS TO EXCEED THEIR
REVENUE LIMIT ON SCHOOL SAFETY.
WE HAD THAT IN PLACE IN 2009.
AND THEN IN 2011 IN THE BUDGET
THERE WAS A CHANGE WITH THIS
ADMINISTRATION, WHO REMOVED THAT
EXEMPTION.
SO I HOPE THERE ARE SOME COMMON
AREAS THAT WE CAN FIND AGREEMENT
AND DO SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT ON
THIS ISSUE.
- DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT
THERE WILL BE TRACTION FROM THE
MAJORITY ON SOME OF THESE GUN
CONTROL MEASURES OR WAITING
PERIODS OR, YOU KNOW, BANNING
ASSAULT RIFLES OR ANYTHING LIKE
THAT?
- WELL, I THINK WE ARE SEEING
MOUNTING PRESSURE FROM STUDENTS
AND THE PUBLIC, WHO ARE
FRUSTRATED.
AND I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT WE
COULD HAVE THE PASSION AND THE
COURAGE TO DO THE RIGHT THING,
JUST AS THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE
SPEAKING OUT AND REALLY PUTTING
A FACE TO SCHOOL VIOLENCE AND
THE FEAR THAT THEY HAVE THAT
THEY DON'T WANT TO -- THEY DON'T
WANT TO LIVE LIKE THAT AND THEY
EXPECT LAWMAKERS TO DO SOME
REASONABLE THINGS.
AND SO WHILE WE ONLY HAVE ONE
DAY LEFT ON THE FLOOR PERIOD,
I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO A SPECIAL
SESSION THAT WE COULD MOVE THIS
ISSUE SIGNIFICANTLY.
- YOU KNOW, WE JUST SPOKE WITH
SENATOR HOWARD MARKLEIN AND HE
SUGGESTED THAT AS OPPOSED TO ANY
OF THESE KIND OF GUN CONTROL
MEASURES, HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
KIND OF STRICTLY SCHOOL SAFETY
MEASURES, WHATEVER THOSE ARE
COMPRISED OF, YOU KNOW, WHETHER
IT'S LOCKING DOORS OR, YOU KNOW,
SPECIFIC SECURITY IN SCHOOLS AS
OPPOSED TO ANY OF THE KINDS OF
THINGS THAT DEMOCRATS ARE
TALKING ABOUT.
DO YOU SUPPOSE THERE'S ANY
COMPROMISE IN THINGS LIKE THESE
RED FLAG LAWS OR THAT KIND OF
THING?
- WELL, I THINK THAT GOES TO
THE HEART OF THE ISSUE OF
ALLOWING SCHOOLS TO EXEMPT
SCHOOL SAFETY MEASURES FROM
THEIR REVENUE LIMITS.
AND SO AS I HAVE SPENT THIS WEEK
TALKING TO MANY SCHOOL DISTRICT
ADMINISTRATORS THROUGHOUT
WESTERN WISCONSIN, THEY HAVE
TALKED ABOUT BULLET-PROOF GLASS.
THEY HAVE TALKED ABOUT SECURING
THEIR BUILDINGS.
BUT THEY'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT
MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS IN THEIR
SCHOOLS AND THE NEED FOR MORE
SOCIAL WORKERS AND SCHOOL
PSYCHOLOGISTS AND PSYCHIATRISTS
AND THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE,
WHO MAY FEEL THAT THEY DON'T
HAVE ANYONE THAT CONNECTS WITH
THEM IN THEIR LIFE.
SO I CERTAINLY THINK MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES IS ONE SET OF
AWARENESS, BUT LOOKING TO SECURE
THESE SCHOOLS IS ANOTHER ASPECT.
BUT ALSO IT IS SOME OF THE
COMMON SENSE ISSUES ABOUT MAKING
IT HARDER TO PURCHASE THESE
WEAPONS FOR PEOPLE WHO THEY
SHOULDN'T BE IN THEIR HANDS IN
THE FIRST PLACE.
- JUST VERY BRIEFLY ON ANOTHER
MATTER, DO YOU EXPECT THE
JUVENILE PRISON REFORM BILL TO
PASS IN THE SENATE?
- I THINK THAT CERTAINLY THE
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HAS
INDICATED THERE ARE SOME
CONCERNS WITH THAT.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH
INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE COUNTIES
AND WITHIN LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
SEE WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE.
I CAN GET BEHIND THE IDEA OF
MOVING CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES
IN A REGIONAL APPROACH SO THEY
CAN BE CLOSER TO THESE YOUTHS'
HOMES AND SUPPORT CENTER.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S READY FOR
PRIME TIME, BUT WE NEED TO MOVE
IN THAT DIRECTION FOR OUR YOUTH
OFFENDERS.
- ALL RIGHT.
SENATOR JENNIFER SHILLING,
THANKS VERY MUCH.
- THANK YOU.