Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s administration is barring openly carrying guns into state buildings, even for people with valid concealed carry permits, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The Republican governor’s administration won’t say how many state employees have told their bosses that they’ll be bringing concealed guns to work after the administration decided last month to allow that for valid permit holders. The new policies came in response to the state’s new concealed carry law, which on Nov. 1 made Wisconsin the 49th state to let citizens carry hidden weapons. Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, a Democrat, praised the move, saying an open carry policy could have led to allowing rifles and shotguns to be brought into the building and would have been intimidating to visitors such as schoolchildren.
Under the concealed carry law signed by Walker, permits will be granted to those 21 and older who take training and pass a background check showing they are not felons or otherwise barred from carrying guns. An advocate of open carry was surprised by the Walker decision, arguing that it contradicted the practice in recent weeks when members of his group openly carried guns in the Capitol without interference. “I don’t think there’s any logical support for that policy,” said Nik Clark, president of Wisconsin Carry Inc. “If someone had a gun, wouldn’t you rather know it? I would.”