Iowa ‘constitutional carry’ law goes into effect July 1
(The Center Square) – Effective July 1, Iowa no longer requires certain residents to have a permit to acquire or permit to carry to purchase handguns from federally licensed firearms dealers.
Instead, those who apply without permits need to undergo the National Instant Criminal Background Check System background check for each purchase. They must be at least 21 years old unless they possess a professional permit to carry a firearm while working in an occupation that requires it, according to the bill, HB756. A June 24 fiscal note on the bill listed several other factors that would make an individual ineligible to possess a pistol or revolver. The bill, which Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law April 2, also expands the group of individuals able to carry firearms on school property, as outlined in the fiscal note.
The fiscal note said decriminalizing the acquisition of a pistol or revolver without a permit or going armed with a dangerous weapon may decrease costs to the justice system by $2.2 million to $4.7 million annually and expanding the group of individuals allowed to carry a firearm on school grounds may decrease expenditures for the correctional system by between $30,800 to $54,000 annually. Costs per conviction for possession by a minor on school grounds of a taser may increase from $40 to $350. The cost per conviction for possession of loaded firearm or dangerous weapon or a violation of Iowa Code section 724.15 may increase from $410 to $7,500.
“Today Iowa is now a Constitutional Carry state,” Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, said in a Facebook post July 1. “I am honored to have flood-managed this legislation that respects the freedoms of law-abiding citizens. Fear tyranny. Embrace freedom.”
Anyone who transfers a firearm to another person he or she “knows or reasonably should know” is ineligible to possess firearms or is intoxicated commits a Class D felony.
“If you are unsure of a person’s eligibility to possess a firearm, you may choose to require the recipient to produce a state-issued permit prior to any transfer,” the Iowa Department of Public Safety said in a statement
Iowans can still apply for a permit to acquire firearms or a nonprofessional permit to carry weapons through their county’s sheriff’s office, which allows them to carry in states with permit reciprocity, the department said.
“We encourage people to contact the state(s) where they will be traveling and become familiar with that state’s respective weapon laws,” the department said. “An Iowa permit to carry may suffice in states that currently allow permit reciprocity.”
A dealer may also choose to require a permit, the department said.
Obtaining a permit may also prevent any delays that could occur with a NICS check, clarify to the individual whether they are eligible to carry or possess firearms, and prevent legal issues associated with a person coming within 1,000 feet of the grounds of a public, parochial, or private school without a state issued permit in violation of 18 USC § 921(a)(25) and 18 USC § 922(q)(2), the department added.
Iowans who are unsure if they are eligible to possess firearms should seek legal counsel, the department said.
In a June Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll of 807 Iowan adults, 67% said they opposed the law that “allows adults to purchase and carry handguns without a permit” while 30% were in favor and 3% were unsure. Most women (82%) opposed the law while the majority of men (52%) opposed it.
Disclaimer: This content is distributed by The Center Square
