STACY FORSTER
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
February 27, 2008

Lawmakers are advancing a bill that would require the state to submit mental health information on residents who aren’t allowed to own guns to a federal database used for background checks on gun purchases.

On Wednesday, the measure passed the Assembly’s Committee on Criminal Justice, and the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Corrections and Housing will have a hearing on Tuesday.

Wisconsin is one of 18 states that do not provide the federal government with mental health information on residents who should be barred from owning guns. The data is collected in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. .

Privacy concerns have prevented Wisconsin’s Department of Justice from sharing mental health commitment information with the federal database.

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