Senate approves mandatory sentences for gun felonies (UPDATE)

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Lawmakers have approved a bill that would require a minimum sentence for convicted felons who violate possession of a firearm and for convicts who use firearms to commit a felony.

Under current law, people convicted of a felony who possess firearms face up to a $25,000 fine or imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both.

The proposal, Assembly Bill 220 that was approved Friday, would create a three-year mandatory minimum for people who are convicted of possessing firearms within five years of completing time in prison for a prior felony or certain misdemeanor. The Assembly tweaked the language of the bill before passing it in June.

AB 220 also requires that a felon must be sentenced to at least five years in prison if that person is subsequently convicted of using a firearm to commit certain Class A to Class G felonies.

For those convicted of Class H or Class I felonies, possessing firearms could net at least three years or at least 1-1/2 years, respectively.

The bill also provides that if an individual is subject to both a mandatory minimum for possession and for committing a new felony using a firearm, the person must serve the sentences consecutively.

The state Senate approved the proposal on a 23-9 vote at Friday’s extraordinary session. To become law, it must be signed by Gov. Scott Walker. Follow @erikastrebel