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Gun owners race to Madison to turn in concealed carry applications
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Lacey Crisp reports Video by tmj4.com
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MADISON- Many gun owners raced to the State Capitol Tuesday morning to turn in their application to be able to conceal carry.
More than 80,000 applications were downloaded from the state's website between midnight and 9 o'clock Tuesday morning.
Lacey Crisp and Sheriff David Clarke talked about the latest on concealed carry on Wisconsin's Afternoon News with John Mercure.
"It was hard sleeping last night," said Paul Fischer of Elkhorn.
"I've been waiting for a long time," said David Rowley of Milwaukee.
It was a steady line at the Department of Justice office to turn in applications for concealed carry.
"I open carry every day. I just want the option to conceal carry if I want," Fischer said.
Fischer drove from Elkhorn, and Rowley drove from Milwaukee to Madison Tuesday to be one of the first in line to get their permit.
"To be able to protect myself and my family" Fischer said.
"I think people are going to find out that it's going to make life safer for the great majority of people," Rowley said.
Not everyone shares their enthusiasm. Representative Leon Young is one of the lawmakers who has banned concealed carry in his offices.
"Carry concealed is a very bad law, very bad policy. I totally oppose it," Young said.
Young says it's dangerous to allow visitors or legislators to carry weapons into the Capitol.
"I just don't think it's a good idea when people are debating certain issues that we have weapons," Young said.
The Assembly still hasn't voted on the rules. If you do plan to conceal carry at the Capitol, you want to make sure you ask where the guns are allowed and where they aren't.
Every lawmaker can decide what to do in their offices. The Department of Administration says they are still working on putting up signs to let you know what's allowed where.
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