Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Daily Cardinal Est. 1892
Thursday, March 28, 2024
At Monday’s meeting Legislative Affairs Chair Sally Rohrer told members they did not need to participate in campaigns they didn’t support or feel comfortable with.

At Monday’s meeting Legislative Affairs Chair Sally Rohrer told members they did not need to participate in campaigns they didn’t support or feel comfortable with.

Legislative Affairs committee debriefs after opposition; plans next moves

After months of controversy surrounding their Campus Carry campaign, the Legislative Affairs committee of the Associated Students of Madison debriefed and moved to continue planning opposition.

In December, Student Council Representative Kat Kerwin and Legislative Affairs Committee Chair Sally Rohrer were tabling at Union South during a day of action to oppose campus carry when Young Americans for Freedom began to protest the event. Kerwin said that YAF members surrounded the table and made it impossible for them to interact with students passing by.

Before beginning their campaign, Legislative Affairs sent out an email poll asking students opinion. This poll was criticized because it could be taken multiple times by the same person, which is typical of ASM polls, according to Kerwin. Additionally she said YAF members were upset by the ASM sign on their table and felt it their violated viewpoint neutrality.

However, Rohrer explained that only committees that allocate funds follow view-point neutrality policies.

She told the body that if they felt uncomfortable, they did not need to work on any lobbying campaign the committee undertook and were welcome to create a campaign in support of proposed campus-carry legislation.

The representatives and students on the open committee took a vote to see if they agreed to campus-carry opposition, which passed unanimously.

Because discussion of possible legislation began so close to winter break, Rohrer recognized that the group has not much time to prepare. They brainstormed possible student organizations that would be willing to join a coalition and ways to reach representatives.

“Next meeting we should put together an exact pan if campus carry passes,” said Rohrer, who anticipates the state legislature will act quickly. “What are our first steps? What are our second steps? We need to start building a coalition.”

Support your local paper
Donate Today
The Daily Cardinal has been covering the University and Madison community since 1892. Please consider giving today.
Comments


Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Daily Cardinal