"For a long time, Wisconsin has had the public support for common-sense gun safety laws," said Nicholas Matuszewski, executive director of WAVE Educational Fund, a nonpartisan gun violence prevention organization. "What we haven't had is a Legislature willing to act on it. I think we're finally approaching a moment where that can change."

Matuszewski said the opportunity for meaningful progress is the strongest he has seen during his time working on the issue.

Gov.-elect David Crowley, who takes office Jan. 4 as Wisconsin's 47th governor, previously said the state needs more mental health resources, opportunities for young people and community-based violence prevention. A spokesperson said after the election that Crowley "is focused on assembling an experienced transition team" and "will have more to share about his agenda following his inauguration."

Advocates have identified four priorities for the incoming administration and Legislature:

**Red flag laws.** Darryl Morin, national president of Forward Latino, said he expects extreme risk protection order legislation to move quickly once the new Legislature is seated. "When the new Legislature is seated, we have every expectation that (red flag) legislation will be introduced and acted upon swiftly," Morin said. The laws, adopted in more than 20 states, allow courts to temporarily restrict firearm access when there is evidence someone poses a danger to themselves or others. "They give families and law enforcement a way to intervene when someone is showing clear warning signs that they may hurt themselves or someone else," Matuszewski said. "They are an important tool for preventing tragedies before they happen."

**Universal background checks.** Wisconsin generally does not require background checks for private firearm sales, though certain people, including those convicted of felonies, are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms. Matuszewski called extending checks to private sales an obvious starting point. "There is no good reason why someone purchasing a firearm from a private seller should be subject to a different standard than someone purchasing from a licensed dealer," he said. Morin said support crosses party lines. "Whether you're Republican, Democrat, firearm owner, non-firearm owner — they have agreed on the need for some common-sense gun violence prevention reforms," he said.

**Increased mental health services.** Aziz Abdullah, co-founder of INPOWER, a Milwaukee organization involved in youth violence prevention, said reducing gun violence requires addressing more than firearm access. He emphasized helping young people manage emotions and conflicts, particularly when guns are readily available. "You have to teach people how to value first themselves — and then the life that they have and the people around them," he said. "If young people are not in behavioral health programs who are at risk, we're going to continue to see the same issue, right?" He wants more Medicaid funding used to connect young people with mentors, therapy and other support.

**Funding for community violence intervention.** All three advocates stressed the need to sustain and expand community violence intervention programs, especially as other funding expires. "State investment in community violence intervention needs to be a major priority," Matuszewski said. "We've seen the impact these programs can have in communities across Wisconsin, but that work requires consistent funding." He wants existing programs sustained, successful approaches expanded and programs reestablished in underserved areas, particularly northeastern Wisconsin. Morin called for increased funding for violence interruption programs and continued support for Wisconsin's Office of Violence Prevention. "That's why we're seeing the decrease in crime, overall crime and violence that we're seeing today, because of the investments that were made there," he said. Abdullah suggested Medicaid waivers could pay for door-to-door family check-ins. "That would be a monumental change," he said.

Other priorities advocates identified include stronger firearm storage laws, increased youth employment opportunities and closing gaps in restrictions related to domestic violence.