The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin has endorsed a package of proposed gun rights bills, including constitutional carry, a temporary suspension of sales taxes on firearms and ammunition, and a constitutional amendment that would make it harder for the state to justify restrictions on gun ownership.
The proposed legislation package, introduced in late October by Republican State Rep. Chanz Green and Sen. André Jacque, would allow residents to carry concealed firearms without a permit, create a sales tax holiday on firearms, ammunition, bows, and crossbows, and amend the Wisconsin Constitution to require “strict scrutiny” when evaluating any state-imposed limits on the right to bear arms.
In a November 3 statement, the Libertarian Party of Wisconsin commended both lawmakers, praising their legislation as “a bold advance in reclaiming personal freedom across the Badger State.” The party said the bills reflect the libertarian principle of self-ownership and argued that removing permit and fee requirements for gun ownership would “recognize anew” the right to bear arms as a fundamental liberty, which it said has since become “a regulated commodity.”
On the proposed tax holiday, which would fall on both July 4 and the third week of December, the party said taxing the means of self-defense “erodes its essence” and that government should not collect revenue from citizens purchasing firearms or ammunition. It argued that the state has no “legitimate claim” to such taxes and compared them to fees on speech, stating that both create financial barriers to exercising constitutional rights.
The party also supported embedding strict scrutiny in the state constitution, saying it would prevent what it called “incremental erosion” of the Second Amendment through administrative action or the use of ambiguous statutes. Under that judicial standard, the government would need to show a compelling reason and provide a narrowly tailored justification for any such restrictions.
“The state’s sole purpose is to protect these rights, not to commercialize them,” the party said, adding that it “pledges full support for initiatives that transfer the authority for self-governance from institutions to individuals.”
The Libertarian Party of Wisconsin further urged lawmakers across the political spectrum to support the legislative package, adding that “liberty transcends party lines.” As of early November 3, all three bills have been introduced and referred to committee in the Wisconsin Legislature.
Be First to Comment