Iowa: Successful Second Amendment Day Ends with the House Passage of Pro-Gun Omnibus Legislation

Today, with a gallery full of gun owners and Second Amendment supporters, the Iowa House of Representatives voted 58-39 to pass pro-gun omnibus legislation, House File 517.  This important bill now heads over to the Senate where it will await a committee referral and consideration.  Please contact your state Senator and politely urge them to SUPPORT HF 517 when it comes up for a vote.

HF 517 would make many pro-gun reforms and covers a diverse range of important issues for Iowa gun owners.  Included in HF 517 are the following pro-gun reforms:

• ​Stand Your Ground – Under HF 517 a law-abiding citizen would have no duty to retreat from any place where the person is lawfully present before using force to defend themselves.
• ​4^th Amendment protections in regards to “going armed with intent” – HF 517 clarifies that the intent element for the crime of “going armed with a dangerous weapon with intent to use it without justification,” a Class D felony under state law, cannot be presumed or inferred from the mere carrying or concealment of a firearm on or about the person or in a vehicle.
• ​Capitol Carry – Prevents the Director of the Department of Administrative Services from prohibiting the otherwise lawful carrying, transportation, or possession of any handgun in or on any capitol buildings.
• ​Restricting State of Emergency Powers – Prevents the Governor, any state official, an official of any political subdivision acting at the direction of the Governor, and other officials from exercising powers during a proclaimed state of emergency to prohibit, regulate, or curtail the otherwise lawful possession, carrying, transportation, transfer or defensive use of firearms or ammunition, or to seize or confiscate legally possessed firearms and ammunition.
• ​Youth Shooting and Parental Rights – HF 517 would give Iowa youth the ability to learn handgun safety only “under the direct supervision” of a parent or other specified responsible, authorized adult in a safe and responsible way.
• ​Permit Privacy – The bill restricts the use and disclosure of information acquired about holders of nonprofessional permits to carry weapons and permits to acquire firearms. The Commissioner of Public Safety and any issuing officer (County Sheriff) would be required to keep confidential all personally identifiable information about such individuals, except for expressly authorized disclosures.
• ​​Numerous additional changes to the laws regarding concealed carry and the permitting process.

Thank you to those who showed up to the Iowa Capitol today in support of this important legislation.  However, the fight isn’t over yet.  Please begin to contact your state Senator and politely urge them to SUPPORT HF 517 when it comes up for a vote.