MADISON, Wis. — The highest-ranking Republican in the Wisconsin Assembly said Thursday he does not want to "fortify" the state Capitol and instead favors bolstering security where lawmakers may be more vulnerable, including at their homes.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos made the remarks a day after the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk on a college campus in Utah and three months after targeted shootings of two Minnesota state lawmakers. Vos told reporters outside the Assembly chamber that "most of the violence that has occurred has not been inside a government building," and that he did not want to create the appearance of turning the Capitol into a fortress.
The Wisconsin Capitol remains one of the country's more accessible statehouses. A state audit last year found Wisconsin is among 11 state capitols without metal detectors and one of 19 that lack X-ray machines to scan items brought into the building. The Capitol has its own police force housed in the basement, but there are no screening checkpoints or X-ray stations. Anyone may walk in off the street between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays and go straight to lawmakers' offices.
Lawmakers in several states took steps to increase protections after the June shootings in Minnesota, which targeted two legislators at their homes. Those responses included measures to protect lawmakers' personal information and, in some cases, to add security at legislative buildings. Republican state Sen. Chris Kapenga said after the Minnesota attacks that he supports adding metal detectors at the Wisconsin Capitol and banning guns for anyone in the building except lawmakers.
Vos acknowledged those concerns but said Thursday he preferred measures that address threats outside the building. "We're looking at ways for members to bolster their security at their homes or places where they might be vulnerable," he said. He did not provide a timetable for specific changes.
Democratic leaders said they were also exploring steps to strengthen security. Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer said colleagues, staff, the press, visitors and schoolchildren who tour the Capitol have safety on their minds and that discussions are ongoing.
On Thursday, three police officers were stationed outside the entrance to the Assembly chamber. There were no signs of additional screening inside the chamber, the galleries remained open and members of the public were seated and observing the day's debate.
Nationally, policies vary: a 2021 Council of State Governments report found seven states allow concealed weapons in their capitol buildings, including Wisconsin, while 36 states ban concealed weapons inside their capitols. Since the June attacks, some legislatures that were still in session took immediate steps to tighten security, though most state legislatures had concluded their regular sessions for the year.
Lawmakers and staff in Wisconsin say the debate reflects a balance between maintaining public access to a government building and addressing real safety concerns raised by recent acts of targeted violence. Conversations between Republicans and Democrats, and between lawmakers and Capitol security officials, are expected to continue as officials weigh changes to personal-security measures and building access policies.