IA: Multiple Gun Law Reform Bills Pass Iowa House

Multiple gun law reform bills are advancing in Iowa. Just before noon on 23 February, 2016, the House had accomplished the following:

HF2279 Hearing Protection Act - Removes ban on gun mufflers. Approved in the Senate last year, did not clear the House. Today, passed the House 74-24.
From iowafcorg:

 Iowa is one of just nine states in the entire country that prohibits its citizens from owning a firearms suppressor. Despite how they’re portrayed by Hollywood and gun control advocates suppressors do not silence a firearm. In reality they cut the noise signature of a gunshot by approximately 20-25%. While this doesn’t eliminate the noise of a gun shot (as many would have you believe) it does lower it enough that the ear damaging effects to the shooter and those around them are reduced by a significant margin. Many European countries require gun owners to own suppressors as a common courtesy to those around them.

HF 2280 Removes power to suspend Second Amendment rights  during an emergency.  Passed the House, 67 - 31
From iowafc.org:

This bill would prohibit the confiscation of firearms, ammunition, and other Second Amendment rights during a “disaster emergency proclamation” or “public disorder” declared by the governor, or any other state official, or any community within the State of Iowa. In essence this bill would keep Hurricane Katrina style confiscation of firearms from happening in Iowa.

HF 2281 Removal of a ban on parents teaching children about handguns under supervision. Passed the House 62-36
Here is the relevant portion:

 1  3    5.  A parent or guardian or spouse who is twenty=one years of
  1  4 age or older, of a person fourteen years of age but less than
  1  5  under the age of twenty=one may allow the person to possess a
  1  6 pistol or revolver or the ammunition therefor for any lawful
  1  7 purpose while under the direct supervision of the parent or
  1  8 guardian or spouse who is twenty=one years of age or older, or
  1  9 while the person receives instruction in the proper use thereof
  1 10 from an instructor twenty=one years of age or older, with the
  1 11 consent of such parent, or guardian or spouse.

HF 2314  Make carry permits uniform across the state, keep carry permit records confidential, streamline process for obtaining and renewing permits. Passed the House 97 - 1.
From iowafc.org:

In addition to protecting the private information of law-abiding Iowans the Privacy Protection Act also requires Iowa’s Sheriff’s Departments to issue Permits to Carry on uniform cards. For years Sheriff’s have done whatever they like when issuing permits. We’ve seen everything from plastic credit card style permits, to carbon copy paper permits, and everything in between. This has led to plenty of headaches when Iowans move from one county to another, or are asked to show their Permit to Carry to an officer not familiar with a different style of permit. If the Privacy Protection Act is signed into law Permit to Carry licenses would be uniform across county lines and across the State of Iowa.

HF 2283 Remove obsolete ban on carrying loaded firearms on off road vehicles.  Passed the House 78 - 20.
 From iowafc.org:

Nearly one in ten Iowans now hold a Permit to Carry, but current Iowa law prohibits anyone from carrying a firearm while riding an ATV, snowmobile, side-by-side vehicle, or any other off-road vehicle. This means anyone out riding recreationally, farming, or simply riding from point A to point B is committing a crime if they have a firearm with them that’s not unloaded and in a case.

This bill would amend the state code and allow all lawful Permit to Carry holders to carry their weapon with them while they are using an off-road vehicle.

 The bills were immediately messaged to the Senate.  From state.ia.us:

Unanimous consent requested to immediately message HF 2279, HF 2280, HF 2281, HF 2283, HF 2314 to the Senate

The Senate is working on a bill to remove the ban on Iowa deer hunters carrying handguns while hunting.

SF 2016  From iowafc.org:
Deer hunters in Iowa are currently prohibited from carrying while hunting. SF2026 would amend the current legal code related to the carrying of firearms to allow carry. If passed this would allow a lawful Permit to Carry holder to carry a handgun while hunting, but it cannot be used to hunt deer.

It is a busy year in Iowa for Second Amendment supporters.

 ©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.  Link to Gun Watch