Category: NRA

Iowa’s Omnibus Gun Bill Needs Help

The Omnibus Gun Bill (HF527/SF425) passed with overwhelming support in the Iowa House but appears to now be languishing in the Democrat-controlled Iowa Senate. Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC), one of the state’s leading pro-gun groups, has been counting votes in the State Senate and believes the bill would pass easily, if only it would be released for a vote by the Senate’s anti-gun leadership.
In addition to legalizing silencers in the state (for those who undergo the requisite federal procedures), the Omnibus Gun Bill would also:
  • Update Iowa’s concealed carry law to move the retraining requirement to every 10 years instead of every 5.
  • Simplify the concealed carry permit renewal process and allow a 60 day window to renew.
  • Exempt military veterans from having to get training before applying for a Permit to Carry.
  • Remove the “permit to acquire” mandate for handgun purchases (FBI NICS program would still be used for purchases).
  • Clarifies that online training is acceptable for a concealed carry permit.
  • Remove the age restriction on minors shooting while supervised by a parent or guardian.
  • Make it illegal to share any identifying information about any of Iowa’s concealed carry permit holders.
  • Make all permits across Iowa uniform in appearance.
Not only have the NRA and IFC endorsed the bill, but the Iowa Peace Officers Association, Iowa Police Chiefs Association, and the Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association as well. Despite this wide-ranging support, the bill now risks being sabotaged by a very small handful of anti-gun State Senators.
What can you do to help?  IFC is urging everyone to take the following three simple steps (in their words):
Petition

If you haven’t already, please sign and share our petition calling on the Senate leadership to stop playing games and bring SF425 to a vote.

The anti-gun crowd has submitted a petition to block the Omnibus Gun Bill. They got a paltry 1,600 signatures. We’re betting we can top that pretty easily. Please take 30 second to sign and share this!!


Email

Contact your Senator, and the Senate leadership. Tell them you want to see SF425 brought to a vote AS IS. It’s time for a vote! Keep your messages brief, respectful and on point. Here’s a great example of an email to the Senate leadership. Send your emails to:mike.gronstal@legis.iowa.gov, steve.sodders@legis.iowa.gov, pam.jochum@legis.iowa.gov, joe.bolkcom@legis.iowa.gov, &
your Senator.

Don’t have your Senator’s email address? Not sure who your Senator is? Find who represents you and their contact info using our Legislative Action Center.


Call

NOTE: The Senate switchboard is only operational while the Senate is in session. The next time you can call and leave a message will be when the Senate returns to work on Monday at 1 p.m.

When you call the Senate switchboard – 515-281-3371 – on Monday leave a message for the Senate leadership: “Listen to the people of Iowa. Listen to Iowa law enforcement. Bring SF425 to a vote AS IS.” Ask that the message is delivered to Senators Gronstal, Sodders, Jochum and Bolkcom.





Iowa First District Election Update

Bruce Braley (D)
Ben Lange (R)

Lange Lunges Ahead

A late October poll shows challenger Ben Lange charging past incumbent “Borrowing Bruce” Braley to take a narrow 46.9% to 45.4% lead in Iowa’s 1st congressional district. The poll shows 6.9% are still undecided and has a margin of error of 5.1%, so Lange, who has been burning shoe-leather all across the district, definitely can’t coast to the finish line. In this race every vote is important.

Interlopers Support Braley

According to 3rd quarter financial records, 78% of the contributions to Bruce Braley’s campaign came from out of state special interests. 92% of Ben Lange’s donations came from Iowans. This seems to continue a trend since during the 2010 election cycle 71% of Braley’s contributions came from out of state while 86% of Lange’s came from in state.

Despite calling for a ban on lobbyist contributions to Congressmen, “lawyers & lobbyists” have given $718,216 to the Braley campaign during this election.

National Rifle Association Endorses Lange

In addition to being A-rated by Gun Owners of America, Ben Lange has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF). In a statement the NRA-PVF explains:

“Ben Lange will protect our Second Amendment freedoms,” said Chris W. Cox, chairman of NRA-PVF. “Because of his strong support of our rights, Ben Lange has earned an “AQ” rating and endorsement from the NRA-PVF.”

Ben Lange supports the U.S. Supreme Court rulings in District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. City of Chicago, which held that the Second Amendment guarantees a fundamental, individual Right to Keep and Bear Arms for law-abiding citizens in Iowa and everywhere in America. Lange also supports “The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act,” which would ensure that law-abiding Americans with a valid concealed handgun permit would be able to carry a concealed handgun in any other state that does not prohibit concealed carry. Additionally, Lange will pursue the truth in the deadly Operation Fast & Furious scandal and help deliver justice to the family of murdered Border Patrol agent Brian Terry.

In contrast, Ben Lange’s opponent, incumbent Representative Bruce Braley, has fought against our constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms and is “F” rated by the NRA-PVF.

Bruce Braley refused to join the historic District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. City of Chicago briefs before the U.S. Supreme Court, making it clear that he does not believe the Second Amendment guarantees a fundamental, individual Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Braley also supported reinstating the failed Clinton semi-auto gun ban and opposed an amendment that would prevent the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives from circumventing the will of Congress, and the American people, by centralizing records of American’s long gun purchases. In addition, he voted against H.R. 4089, “The Sportsmen’s Heritage Act,” which would promote America’s hunting heritage and positively impact sportsmen throughout the country.

“Ben Lange will defend our Second Amendment freedoms and hunting heritage, and the people of Iowa know that Bruce Braley has not,” Cox continued. “We urge all NRA members and gun owners in Iowa’s 1st District to vote Ben Lange for U.S. House of Representatives on November 6.”

For more about Lange’s view on the Second Amendment (and other issues) read my post “10 Questions with Ben Lange.”

NRA Onboard for Iowa Weapons Reform Battle

Regular readers of this blog know that Iowa is one of only 13 states that doesn’t have a “shall issue” law for permits to carry weapons (or that require no permit at all). Iowa has a “may issue” law, which means that the county sheriff may issue to qualified applicants or he may not.

Some sheriffs issue permits to all who qualify, while others choose not to issue them at all. Training requirements vary widely between counties. This disparity between citizens of different counties seems to run counter to the Iowa Constitution’s directive that state laws “shall have a uniform operation” and shall apply equally to all Iowa citizens.

Since 2005, the pro-freedom group Iowa Carry (IC) has fought a lonely battle trying to bring uniformity to Iowa’s weapons laws, while America’s most powerful lobbying organization, the National Rifle Association (NRA), has focused its attention elsewhere. Now, however, it appears that the NRA may finally have its big political guns trained on Iowa and is ready to roar into action.

In a recent email update to supporters, Iowa Carry president Sean McClanahan announced a tentative agreement between IC and NRA to work together for weapons carry reform in the coming year.

Iowa Carry has identified five key principals that it believes must be part of any weapons carry reform bill in Iowa: 1) It must be “shall issue.” 2) It must standardize training statewide. 3) It must contain a reciprocity provision recognizing the carry permits of certain other states. [Many states will only recognize Iowa-issued permits if we reciprocate.] 4) It must have an appeals process for denied permits. 5) It must maintain the privacy of the confidential information of permit holders.

The bill that NRA and IC will be supporting will address all five issues. The groups are currently lining up key Iowa legislators to introduce and support the bill in 2010.

If you want to stay informed on this effort as it progresses you can join Iowa Carry’s online forum for free, as well as their Facebook group. Better yet, join Iowa Carry as a supporting member for only $25 a year so that they will have the resources necessary for the upcoming reform battle.