Politics & Government
Could We See Bullets and Beer at Lions Daze?
Sussex won't be able to keep people from carrying a concealed weapon next year at Lions Daze, even though alcohol will be served there.
Sussex residents won't need to leave their guns at home next year when they’re drinking beer at .
Under the state's new concealed weapons law, the village will not be allowed to prohibit guns from within public parks even though they are banned from public buildings.
Concealed weapons are also banned from areas where alcohol is served, however, Lions Daze takes place within and therefore Sussex will be unable to stop residents from bringing their guns to the beer tent.
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“I don’t think there’s any way we can make the argument there are special points of entry,” said Melissa Weiss, assistant to the village administrator. “That’s a unique situation where we can’t legally address unless extreme measures are taken.”
The allowing residents to carry guns goes into effect Nov. 1 and will allow permitted residents to take firearms into businesses and public places unless otherwise noted.
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Guns will not be allowed within village buildings under the state law, but Waukesha Sheriff’s Department Lt. James Gumm said the village should consider a municipal ordinance also banning concealed firearms. By passing a local ordinance, police could issue municipal citations to who inadvertently bring a gun into a public building instead of charging them with a misdemeanor.
Members of the Public Safety and Welfare Committee said they're OK with pushing for a municipal ban on firearms in public buildings under the concealed carry law.
“If we barred weapons under the open carry law, I don’t know what the difference would be between open and concealed,” Trustee Jim Batzko said. “If we don’t want them in the open, why would we want them concealed?”
If the village wanted to ban firearms from the parks, specific points of entry would have to be constructed and a fence put in place.
However, committee members said they hope common sense will prevail next year and those looking to drink at the festival next year will know better than to bring their guns with them.
“I’m so apprehensive about this (new law) that I don’t know which way to go,” Trustee Pat Tetzlaff said. “But I have to think that if 49 states are doing it and they haven’t turned into the wild, wild west, then I’m missing something.”
