House votes 75-24 to ‘advance 2nd Amendment rights’

DES MOINES - Without debate, three-quarters of Iowa House members voted to approve an omnibus gun bill its sponsor called 'a step forward … (that) gives us back some freedoms and liberties that were taken from us.”

The House voted 75-24 to send House File 527 to the Senate, where a similar bill has been approved by the Judiciary Committee.

Rep. Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, said the bill 'does many things to advance Second Amendment rights” such as allowing Iowans to get noise suppressors that are regulated by the federal government. It also makes gun carry permits - now public records - secret and allows parents to teach their young children firearm safety and how to handle handguns.

'This is something, I think, many of us in this chamber can get behind, and I'm hopeful many in the Senate can get behind as well,” Windschitl said.

Windschitl said he understands 'reasonable restrictions” can be applied to the exercise of constitutional rights, but citizens 'shouldn't have to ask government for permission” to exercise those rights.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Steve Sodders, D-State Center, thinks a majority of senators will get behind the bill. However, he's telling supporters they need to explain to senators why the bill is necessary.

He sees several benefits to the bill: a verifiable database of permit holders; uniform permits; and a 'loser pays” requirement when people challenge the denial of their permit application.

One point of contention between the House and Senate may be an age requirement for children using handguns. Under current law, there is no age limit for children handling rifles and shotguns, but they must be 14 to shoot handguns. Neither version has an age requirement, but senators have discussed requiring Iowans to be at least 7-years-old to handle handguns.

That would be a problem for Windschitl because he thinks it would undermine parental responsibility. However, he would not say whether it would be a deal-breaker.

'I'm working to find consensus,” he said.