State Attorney General Jim Doyle's anti-terrorism proposal makes ownership of most guns a felonious offense, alleged several state Assembly Republicans.
Opponents of the legislation raised alarm that legislation penalized \whoever uses an explosive or a destructive device,"" defining destructive device as ""a device ... configured to cause substantial bodily harm [or] death"" with a Class B felony, which carries a 60 year maximum sentence.
The bill would effectively restrict the terms on which a person could own a gun through the restriction of ammunition, according to Rep. Steve Freese, R-Dodgeville.
""The other provision is making it illegal to own the bullet that goes in the gun,"" Freese said.
He said the bill would essentially be ""banning guns in Wisconsin that [hold] more than one shell. In essence, every deer hunting rifle ... that's available in Wisconsin, including ones that I own myself.""
In a statement, Rep. Dave Zien, R-Wheaton, said the legislation goes so far as to recognize a photo of a hunter with a deer as evidence of a crime under the bill's current proposal.
""Can you imagine a Wisconsin elected official outlawing the use of every pump shotgun and labeling every duck hunter a terrorist?"" Zien said. ""Maybe the Attorney General should concentrate on the real terrorists and leave law-abiding gun owners alone.""
Sen. James Baumgart, D-Sheboygan, co-author of the bill in the state Senate, said advocates of the bill plan to amend the wording to expand the legislation's support to both parties.
""We're going to tighten up the bill and make it acceptable to everybody,"" Baumgart said, adding that he is proud of the effort by his state-level colleagues nationwide to fight terrorism at the local level.
""In real terms, the attorneys general of this country have worked together, and the governors"" to address the issue, he said.
Baumgart added that he is troubled by the willingness of the bills' opponents to divert attention from the legislation's broader goals.
""In case of another disaster like 9/11, we need our laws to be up-to-date,"" he said. ""My Republican friends have made that a gun issue.""
Freese said, however, that he is satisfied with the bulk of the legislation.
""Most of the bill, I think, is just fine,"" he said. ""But unfortunately, the way the bill was drafted, that's the way it came out, we were not aware of that at all.""
Doyle could not be reached for comment as of press time.
