Iowa: A Gun In Every Pot
More people in Iowa can carry concealed weapons now, thanks to a new law. On Jan. 1, Iowa officially became a “shall carry” state. Under the new law, permits to carry weapons cannot be denied [italics BFIA's] unless “the applicant is a felon or if they have been through some sort of mental health commitment process. Previously, Iowa sheriffs had the discretion to deny permits if a background check turned up something of concern, such as a history of substance abuse. Applicants also had to meet shooting qualifications.” ICPC So, more people can have weapons that wouldn't have qualified before, and they no longer have to be concealed, but don't worry. Nothing has changed in Iowa.
According to one law enforcement official, all a person has to do if you happen to see someone in a bar or a restaurant brandishing heat is call law enforcement and they will promptly show up and make sure the person has a permit to carry. According to Coralville Police Chief Barry Bedford,
No worries! We are absolutely certain that gun-toting citizens will be 100% responsible and discreet at all times, just like we all are in our daily lives, in cars and when drinking.
Drinking-Driving-Dogwalking
According to KAAL-TV:
the new Iowa Law, we cannot restrict the movement of people with loaded
guns in vehicles, wherever they go,” says Cerro Gordo County Sheriff
Kevin Pals. “They can
walk their dog at night with a shot gun and there's nothing we can do
about it,” says Pals.
But the most controversial regulation with Iowa's new law, “I don't think it’s a good idea to mix alcohol with guns, I don't think they belong together, however Iowa law does not ban that from happening, ” says Pals.
You heard it, you can legally consume alcohol while carrying a gun in public with a permit, but authorities say it's the same as drinking and driving and the same rules apply. Sheriff Pals adds, “if they're legally intoxicated to drive then we can also cite them for having a gun.”
Hotter and cheaper than dog park permits
According to the Des Moines Register, more than 300 gun owners or soon-to-be gun owners reported to the Polk County Sheriff’s office on Monday to apply for weapons permits or permit renewals, more than they usually hand out in a month. In Johnson County, Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek was greeted with a stack of permit applications, and as soon as the first stack was done, another stack promptly appeared.
Fees for a permit to carry a weapon are $55 for five years. It costs more than that for us to buy a permit for our local dog park.
Sheriff Pulkrabek adds words of caution about what some call a “loose gun” law. “I think we're going to see more and more people who are not law-abiding citizens that are able to qualify,” he said.
So it is a sad day for Iowans, but we will not “leave it there for now,” as Wolf Blitzer says after he gives the right-winger the last word on his show. We'll leave it on a positive note with a couple of great letters to the editor, written by two intrepid newspaper readers from eastern Iowa. Iowans will need to fight back against this law (add that to our progressive bucket-list..). Let us know if you hear anything.
New Gun Law is Questioned
Has there ever been a law passed in Iowa that is quite as moronic as the open-carry gun law rushed through a shortened session of the Iowa Legislature? Because it now is a law, I have to look around for a new place to live that has not sold out to the National Rifle Association.
But before I go, I have a few questions for the NRA disciples in our legislature:
• I understand that schools still can have rules that prevent gun-toters from entering school buildings. But can they prevent people carrying high-powered rifles from standing across the road from school property? No, they can't. Hey, parents, doesn't that warm your hearts?
• If we go out to dinner, must we watch out for heavy drinkers packing revolvers? Yes, we must, until the drinker hits the .08 percent definition of drunkenness, when it becomes illegal to carry. I think I just lost my appetite.
• Where, exactly in Iowa is it so unsafe to live that loaded guns are a necessity? I'd guess that this extraordinarily dangerous law is just one more gift of our friends in Mississippi, who recently scared enough Iowans to vote three judges out of office. Iowans used to have brains of their own — is that no longer the case?
The Iowa Firearms Coalition has announced its goals for 2011: To pass Iowa legislation getting rid of all permits, all rules, all boundaries that armed people cannot cross.
Wouldn't that make us one of the most dangerous states in the union? Are we willing to fight to rescind this hurried law and prevent the situation from getting worse?
Anne T
Keep permit choice in sheriff’s hands
I am writing in response to the Dec. 31 article headlined, “Instructor: Law change to put guns with ‘good guys.’” Of course, firearms instructors are eager for this legislation. It gives them more business and, in turn, helps them sell more weapons, whereas the existing law might have been flawed in its consistency from county to county.
The county sheriff should remain the deciding official in receiving a concealed weapon permit. Why? I believe a county sheriff is more concerned about public safety than running a business.
DeWayne L
_________________
More info: necn WHO-TV Libraryjournal
Blog For Iowa 