Open Carry Gun Laws - Do They Apply in Your State?

Although some gun laws are controlled by the federal government, many are left to the discretion of the states themselves. Wisconsin has some of the most extensive gun laws of any state in the Nation. In Wisconsin, it is completely prohibited for private citizens to carry a concealed gun. However, it is legal to openly carry a firearm except in places prohibited by law. It is prohibited to open-carry a firearm in:

Vehicles
Government buildings
Schools
Establishments that sell liquor that may be consumed on-site
Any area within 1,000 feet of school property, unless on private property

Wisconsin's open carry law is meant to combat crime by making the presence of a firearm well-known and thus well-regulated. However, for some time, certain jurisdictions attempted to prosecute those following the open carry law by handling it as an offense similar to disorderly conduct. Wisconsin state governor Jim Doyle expressed his support for the open carry law when he stated, "You want to carry a gun in Wisconsin, wear it on your hip."

If a firearm is to be carried inside a vehicle, it must be:

Unloaded
Cased
Out of reach of the driver

Unloaded means having no shell or cartridge in the firearm, while encased means properly enclosed in a case created for the sole purpose of storing a firearm. Because of this section of the law, gun carriers must unload and case a gun before entering a vehicle, and then must uncase and openly display the firearm after exiting the vehicle.

If a person possesses a firearm, he or she can be charged with a felony if certain other conditions exist, including if the person:

Has previously been convicted of a felony.
Committed a felony as a juvenile.
Has been found not guilty of a felony because of a mental health condition.
Has been ordered not to possess a firearm because of a mental health condition.
If involved in a domestic abuse restraining order or a child abuse restraining order.
Has been ordered against possessing firearms because of a harassment restraining order.

In addition, if a person knowingly provides a firearm to a another person who meets the above conditions, the person who provides the gun is considered an assistant to a felony crime.

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