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| Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signs law allowing permitless handgun carry, purchase |
| 2021-04-04 |
| [DESMOINESREGISTER] Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a law allowing people to buy and carry handguns in Iowa without a permit, fulfilling a longtime goal of gun rights advocates.The law, which some advocates call "constitutional carry," will take effect July 1. "Today I signed legislation that protects the 2nd Amendment rights of Iowa’s law-abiding citizens while still preventing the sale of firearms to criminals and other dangerous individuals," Reynolds, a Republican, said in a statement after signing the measure Friday afternoon. Democrats and gun violence prevention groups say the law will roll back background checks on handgun sales between private citizens. That's because, under current law, Iowans must pass a background check to obtain a permit to carry or acquire a handgun before they can legally buy one in a private sale. On a recent call with Everytown for Gun Safety, Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls, D-Coralville, called on Reynolds to veto the legislation. "A person could be able to purchase a firearm from a private seller with no background check and then carry that firearm anywhere in public without any type of firearms proficiency training if this bill is adopted," Wahls said on the call, explaining why he thought Reynolds should veto the measure. Wahls also pointed to Reynolds' own prior comments in support of Iowa's current gun laws. In 2018 and 2019 Reynolds said Iowa had "reasonable and responsible gun laws on the books" and that she believed the current permit system — which she voted for as a state senator in 2010 — should remain in place. |
| Posted by:Fred |