Johnson County bans guns on its land

As expected, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Thursday to ban guns from county-owned property.

Unlike last week's meeting, when several people spoke against the resolution, there were no comments from the public Thursday, perhaps because the supervisors had previously made clear they supported the gun ban.

“I think that this decision, quite frankly, is very easy,” supervisor Terrence Neuzil said.

The prohibition on guns and dangerous weapons applies to county-owned buildings, grounds, parks and vehicles.

Exceptions include law enforcement and correctional officers and active military personnel. The sheriff may grant prior written approval for a permit holder to carry a gun on county property, and the county's Conservation Board can grant exemptions for training sessions and hunting on its land.

Violators could be charged with trespassing, a simple misdemeanor.

The supervisors' action follows a similar vote Tuesday by the Iowa City Council to prohibit guns on city-owned property and buses.

The votes result from changes in state law that have lessened a sheriff's discretion on issuing gun permits and requiring guns to be concealed.

The supervisors also criticized the Legislature and former Gov. Chet Culver for banning guns from the statehouse and state fairgrounds while not doing the same for local governments.