Iowa: House Passes Omnibus Pro-Gun Provision for the Third Time

Please contact Senate leadership immediately and urge them to keep the strong pro-gun provisions of SF 510 as passed by the House!

On Wednesday night, the Iowa House of Representatives passed Senate File 510 on a 54-42 vote.  SF 510 is the 2015 Appropriations Bill, referred to as the “Standings Bill.” Before passage, a critical pro-gun amendment was passed by a voice vote and added to SF 510. This amendment included NRA-backed provisions found in Senate File 427.

As previously reported, SF 427 stalled in the Iowa State Senate after the House amended the bill to include the majority of the provisions from NRA’s original omnibus pro-gun bills, Senate File 425 and House File 527.  Iowa Senate leaders have stalled on these issues long enough! A bipartisan majority of the House has remained determined and dedicated to passing much-needed improvements and clarifications to Iowa’s firearms laws multiple times this session. The Senate has had ample opportunity to likewise stand for your rights.  House members who voted to protect your rights deserve your thanks for their efforts! 

Thankfully, with the pro-gun amendment to SF 510, NRA-backed provisions have another opportunity to advance.  It is critical that you contact Senate leadership today and politely urge them to keep the pro-gun provisions of SF 510 as passed by the House. 

SF 510, as amended contains the following provisions:

• Legalize ownership and possession of firearm sound suppressors.

• Require that certification by a chief law enforcement officer (CLEO), when a signoff is required for the transfer of a firearm or other item regulated by the National Firearms Act (NFA), be provided within 30 days as long as the applicant is not prohibited by law from receiving the firearm or other item.

• Ease the concealed weapons permitting renewal process by only requiring retraining every ten years (as opposed to five), allowing for an internet training course to qualify for retraining, providing for a 60 day window for application for renewal, and allowing any training done within 24 months of initial application or permit expiration date to qualify.

• Lengthen the window in which you can renew your permit from the current 30 days prior to expiration requirement, to allowing you to renew 30 days before or after the expiration date on the permit.

• Create a training exception for veterans of the Armed Forces from ever having to go through initial training or retraining if they can produce their military qualifications at the time of application.

• Remove the arbitrary age prohibition on the use and possession of a handgun or handgun ammunition.  Under current law, if a parent wishes to teach their child to shoot a long gun, they can, but they are currently prohibited from teaching a child under fourteen how to use a pistol or revolver.  This change allows parents to make the decision of when a child is mature and strong enough to be taught firearm safety.

• Allow law enforcement to verify 24/7 by electronic means the validity of a concealed weapons permit through a statewide verification system. This new system may help Iowa gain reciprocity with other states. However, this system is not a gun registry or database of firearm owners, but simply contains information that verifies if a permit is valid or not.  It will not include information on specific firearms you own, or information on individuals who own firearms but do not have a permit.

• Create uniform permits throughout the state that only contain necessary information on the card.  This will apply to both a permit to carry and the now optional permit to acquire.  Permits will no longer list a person’s home address on the card.

• Strengthen penalties for “straw purchases,” the practice where someone who is prohibited from having a firearm obtains one by having another person purchase a firearm for them.  Federal law already prohibits straw purchases; however, Iowa law is not as clear on this topic.

Also, please thank your state Representatives who voted for passage of these pro-gun provisions for the third time this legislative session.