Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB953

Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/28/26
• Refer: 1/28/26
• Failed: 3/23/26

Caption

An Act to renumber and amend 175.37 (1); to amend 175.37 (title) and 175.37 (2); to create 175.37 (1) (b) of the statutes; Relating to: containers or trigger locks provided at a firearm sale and providing a penalty.

Summary

AB953 would require any person who commercially sells or transfers a firearm in Wisconsin to provide the buyer or transferee with either a secure, lockable container designed to store the firearm or a trigger lock for the firearm. The bill also keeps the existing requirement that firearm purchasers receive a written child-safety warning at the point of sale, and it updates the statute title to reflect that the law covers warning requirements whenever transferring a firearm. The measure amends Wisconsin Statutes section 175.37 by adding a new mandatory transfer item and by revising the penalty section so that a violation of either the warning requirement or the new container/trigger-lock requirement is punishable by a fine of up to $500, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both. In practical terms, the bill would impose an additional safety-related obligation on firearm retailers and other commercial transferors, and it would create a new misdemeanor-level penalty for noncompliance.

Impact

AB953 would directly change Wisconsin firearm-transfer law by adding a required safety device at the point of retail commercial sale or transfer. It would affect firearm sellers and transferors by mandating that they provide either a lockable storage container or a trigger lock, and it would expose violators to the existing statutory penalty structure as amended. The bill also broadens the practical scope of section 175.37 by making the warning-and-safety-package requirements part of the same statutory framework governing firearm transfers.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the bill appears to be framed as a firearm-safety measure rather than a punitive one, with an emphasis on preventing child access and encouraging secure storage. The available history shows bipartisan-style sponsorship and no recorded committee transcript or vote data indicating organized opposition or support. Overall, the sentiment appears neutral to favorable among the listed sponsors, with the policy rationale centered on safety and responsible firearm handling.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely the added burden on firearm sellers and transferors, who would be required to provide a lockable container or trigger lock at the time of sale or transfer. Supporters would likely view the requirement as a common-sense safety measure to reduce accidental shootings and child access to firearms, while critics may argue that it imposes additional costs, compliance obligations, and a criminal penalty for what is essentially a sales-condition requirement. No specific committee debate or recorded vote is available here, so the exact positions of legislators or stakeholders are not documented in the provided materials.