On July 8, 2011 Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker passed Act 35, which allows people around the state to carry concealed weapons. Now four months later the new law has taken effect, and people in Wisconsin are lawfully allowed to “pack heat.”

Under the new law, an individual does not violate the prohibition against disorderly conduct, or does not violate any local ordinance prohibiting disorderly conduct, by carrying particular weapons.  A licensed individual may lawfully carry particular weapons in an open or concealed manner as long as there is no indication of a criminal or malicious intent.  The law does not, however, permit people to go armed with a weapon in certain public buildings such as police stations or sheriff's offices, prisons or jails, courthouses, and schools.  There is no parallel exception for college or university buildings.

Gary Gulbrandson, Director of Campus Safety, clarified the university policy simply. “Weapons may not be brought into any building on campus without permission from the Chancellor,” he said.

This policy is in direct correlation with Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter 18 at  UWS, which prohibits a person from carrying, possessing, or using any dangerous weapon on university lands or in university buildings or facilities, unless it is for law enforcement purposes or the person receives written approval of the chief administrative officer.  Chapter 18 permits police to confiscate and remove dangerous weapons from university lands. The University of Wisconsin System will continue to follow and enforce Chapter 18 to the extent that Chapter 18 is consistent with Wisconsin Act 35.

The new law came into effect Tuesday, November 1, 2011. Many students may not be aware of this because there have been no signs hung across campus alerting them. The reasoning behind this is because the signs, which will be posted throughout the campus, are on back order. According to Gulbrandson these signs will be arriving sometime next week, and will be posted as soon as possible.