Constitutional (Permitless) Carry and Firearms Industry Protection Passed the House!

I’m happy to announce that last night the Iowa House successfully passed Constitutional Carry on a vote of 60-37 (with 3 absent) and the Firearms Industry Protection Act on a vote of 59-38 (with 3 absent).  While the Firearms Industry Protection Act was partisan, the Constitutional Carry legislation enjoyed only one Democrat voting for Freedom and Liberty.

While HF756 is now recorded as ‘bipartisan’ we would have loved far more support from the Democrat Party.  The core precept placed before us all with Constitutional Carry is universal and transcends party lines.  It is always important to remember that our basic human rights don’t align with parties, but people.  We welcome Democrats home if and when they decide to reaffirm their commitment to civil rights.

It is fitting we take a moment to thank Representative Steven Holt and the House Leadership for working so hard on behalf of Iowans.  They heard our voices, moved with a bias for action, and defended and reclaimed our basic and fundamental freedoms that have been eroded over the years.  House Files 756 and 621 are through the first hurdle.

We now turn our focus on the Senate.  Where each of those bills exists under different numbers.  The Constitutional Carry bill is SF535.  The Firearms Industry Protection is SF344.  IFC has worked closely with legislators and NRA-ILA on the Constitutional Carry bill and all of the internal components.  The Firearms Industry Protection bill received all the same emphasis, with the same collaborators, but also included the NSSF as well.

This comment was offered from an Iowan and he gave us permission to share this:

Thanks for finally trusting Iowa’s law abiding citizens and giving them opportunity to finally experience freedom without infringement.

Thanks for valuing human life and giving individuals their personal independence to protect themselves.

Thanks for taking another step forward… taking us from may issue to sale issue… now from treating our constitutional right as a privilege to now letting us experience this constitutional right as intended.

Freeing Iowans to finally experience the 2nd Amendment like can in other states, just like some Iowa residents experienced conceal carry in some counties and not others.

This brings this constitutional right home to Iowa.. to all Iowans… equally and without any prejudices.

No sheriffs deciding where our rights and freedoms begin and end.. now no politicians limiting our rights based on personal ideology or fears.

Just equal opportunity to decide for oneself if this is a constitutional right they want to partake of or not.. true independence.

Thanks for this vote of confidence in our Iowa residents and sticking up for our law abiding citizens. Treating them with respect vs judging them based on criminal behaviors.

Not everyone is dangerous… as some seem to be insinuating when it comes to gun ownership.

Individual based freedoms and rights has to be a leap of faith.. where we treat everyone as innocent until proven guilty in a court of law… especially our law abiding citizens.

This is a huge moment in Iowa history as those we’ve elected are finally embracing this basic principle of mutual respect and trust for everyone who voted for them.

No more down talking these residents implying that they aren’t mature enough to own or carry a gun, but letting go of personal fears and simply letting our residents decide on their own if this constitutional right is something they’d like to experience without fear of being labeled by others for simply being an American and embracing their 2nd Amendment right.

Finally being excepted as free individuals as intended.

Below you’ll find a quick picture taken very early this morning after a lengthy floor debate well into the evening, with Representative Holt and Representative Klein sandwiching IFC’s Richard Rogers.  After such a long period of work, big smiles help reaffirm the work was worthy!

Rep Holt, Richard Rogers of IFC, and Rep Klein