LogFAQs > #960028060

Gobstoppers12 posted...

Where in the statute does it say that one needs "appropriate certification to possess any rifle?"

29.593 is entirely related to hunting authorizations. Read the words. You can't be out of compliance with a statute pertaining to hunting authorizations if you're not even hunting.

Hell, the title of 29.593 is "Requirement for certificate of accomplishment to obtain hunting approval." It's about hunting authorizations. You're in compliance with 29.593 unless you're hunting without authorization.

If I need to break down sentence structure I guess I must.

(c) This section applies only to a person under 18 years of age who possesses or is armed with a rifle or a shotgun if the person is in violation of s. 941.28 or is not in compliance with ss. 29.304 and 29.593. This section applies only to an adult who transfers a firearm to a person under 18 years of age if the person under 18 years of age is not in compliance with ss. 29.304 and 29.593 or to an adult who is in violation of s. 941.28.

First, let's drop the part about transferring a firearm, because that isn't relevant.
(c) This section applies only to a person under 18 years of age who possesses or is armed with a rifle or a shotgun if the person is in violation of s. 941.28 or is not in compliance with ss. 29.304 and 29.593.

Rittenhouse is 17 and I think we all agree he was in possession of a firearm, so lets clean that up
(c) This section applies to Rittenhouse if Rittenhouse is in violation of s. 941.28 or is not in compliance with ss. 29.304 and 29.593.

Let's further clarify the first part of that
(c) Rittenhouse is in illegal possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18 if Rittenhouse is in violation of s. 941.28 or is not in compliance with ss. 29.304 and 29.593.

Ok, now let's break down the component structure so we can talk about the conditions one at a time.
(c) Rittenhouse is in illegal possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18 if Rittenhouse [is in violation of s. 941.28 [or is not in compliance with [ss. 29.304 and 29.593]]].

So we have nested conditional logic here
if (A || !(B && C))

A = Are you in violation of 941.28
B= Are you in compliance with 29.304
C = Are you in compliance with 29.593

Is Rittenhouse in violation of 941.28? Does not appear so, this is false.
Is Rittenhouse in compliance with 29.304? It appears to only apply to those 16 and younger, so he appears good.
Is Rittenhouse in compliance with 29.593? I don't know.

if (A || !(B && C))
if (false || !(true && ??) reduces to if (!(??)) or if (!(C)), therefore if Rittenhouse is not in compliance with29.593, then he is in violation of illegally possess a firearm.
At no point does it have anything to do with him wanting to hunt, simply that as a person 17 years of age he must have the appropriate certifications in order to posses a rifle without it being illegal.

But it is likely moot anyway, because they accept out of state certifications, but it would be nice if they covered that.