Thank you for taking the time to read this week's e-update. I always strive to include information you find interesting and informative as it relates to my work in Madison and the 60th Assembly District.
My most important goal remains serving you, my constituents. Helping you find solutions to difficult problems when it seems like the state is unresponsive is the single greatest reward for my staff and me. I take constituents' input seriously and continually work hard on your behalf.
I always have your thoughts and concerns in mind when deciding whether or not to support legislation. Furthermore, I appreciate when you take time out of your schedules to contact me.
Have a great week,
This week's survey
This week, at a press conference unveiling "red flag" gun seizure laws, Governor Evers, in responding to a question, stated that he would consider supporting MANDATORY buyback policies. Under this type of program, individuals would have to turn so-called "assault" weapons over to the government. This proposal is nonsensical and unconstitutional. I will fight vociferously to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Wisconsinites. Gun buybacks will not reduce the number of crimes committed, as criminals will continue to find a way to obtain firearms.
Governor Evers' comment unveils the Democrats' true agenda: a weakening of the Second Amendment and infringement on the rights of law-abiding citizens. Wisconsin law already stipulates that if you are a felon, you lose your right to own a firearm.
Gun control advocates, Governor Evers included, contend that ordinary citizens should not be allowed to own or possess what they deem "assault rifles," but fail to define the term. An AR-15, the type of firearm most gun control advocates refer to as a "military-grade" weapon or "assault" rifle, has less ballistic power than a standard deer hunting rifle. AR-15 style rifles cannot be classified as assault weapons, as this type of weapon is fully automatic. AR-15 style rifles look like military firearms such as the M-16, but function like other semi-automatic civilian sporting firearms, releasing just one-round with each pull of the trigger.
The only reason these firearms are classified as "assault" rifles, is politics. Gun control advocates want to ban these weapons because they look like military-grade weapons. Though the semi-automatic design used in today's pistols, rifles, and shotguns, was invented in the late nineteenth century and was commonly sold to consumers in the early twentieth century. Recently, gun control advocates have falsely reclassified modern sporting rifles as "weapons of war."
So-called military-grade rifles are used for many different types of hunting, from varmint to big game. It is imperative to denote that they are no more powerful than other hunting rifles of the same caliber and in most cases are chambered in calibers less powerful than the common big-game cartridges like the 30-06 Springfield and .300 Winchester Magnum.
Even if so-called military-style assault rifles were banned by an Act of Congress or the Wisconsin legislature, perpetrators and criminals would find a way to obtain them, as they did when Congress passed the "assault" rifle ban--even though these firearms are not actually "assault" rifles--in the 1990s.
Please, take a minute to answer my one-question survey relating to MANDATORY gun buyback policies.
Thank you to everyone who participated in last week's survey relating to the expungement of marijuana. In total, 143 individuals participated in the survey, with more than eighty percent (including those who answered "other," supporting expungement).
39 percent of respondents believed that marijuana should be expunged from one's record after at least five years have elapsed since the conviction.
16 percent argued that the record should be expunged after ten years had elapsed since the conviction, and the person was at least 21 but under 25 when he or she committed the offense.
15 percent responded that the record should be expunged once 10 years have elapsed since the conviction if the person was at least 25 when he or she committed the offense.
15 percent selected "none of the above."
Lastly, a record 45 percent of respondents selected "other," with the overwhelming majority expressing support for some form of expungement.
Some of the responses from those who selected "other," include:
"It should not stay on their record considering legalization has occurred in surrounding areas."
"We should legalize marijuana and expunge all past possession convictions."
"Possession of marijuana should be decriminalized and, instead, be a civil conviction. If one has a non-violent possession conviction, it should be immediately expunged."
"Criminalizing marijuana was never necessary and has caused massive societal harm to no beneficial effect. Expunge/pardon every single conviction."
"Expunge the records after 5 years have elapsed with no age association. Thus, the age in which this offense occurred, would be irrelevant."
"It should be reduced to a civil fine, with nothing on anyone's record or legalized."
"Cannabis possession records should all be expunged. Distribution and manufacturing records, however, should remain in place."
Events and Meetings
This week, I received the Wisconsin Child Support Enforcement Association's 2019 Legislator of the Year Award for my work as chairman of the Legislative Council Study Committee on Child Placement and Support.
The study committee was designed to promote positive child support policies that benefit our state's children.
In addition, my staff had the opportunity to meet with a group of constituents who were in Madison for the Wisconsin Physical Therapy Association's legislative day.
My staff meeting with physical therapy students.
60th District Events
The following are events that will be held this week in the 60th Assembly District. If you have any upcoming events that you would like included in our e-update, please contact my office.
One of the best ways to date with what is happening in Madison is to sign up for the legislature's notification tracking system. This service affords you with the opportunity to track legislative activities in Madison. Upon creation of a free account, you can sign up to receive notification about specific bills of committees as well as legislative activity pertaining to a subject (i.e., health care, education, etc.).
If you have any comments regarding the subject of this E-Update, please feel free to contact me.
Rep. Rob Brooks State Capitol, Room 216 North P.O. Box 8952 Madison, WI 53708 Toll-Free (888) 534-0060 or (608) 267-2369 Rep.Rob.Brooks@legis.wi.gov| |
