IFC won the David v Goliath lawsuits waged upon Iowan’s civil liberties by Monroe County.  If you missed that, read the FULL STORY HERE.

Today is a new day, and we’re making sure ALL 99 counties in Iowa know about this suit, the results, and that violating Iowan’s Preemption Laws will cost Counties and Cities big money.  The pic above is a quick snapshot of the stack of letters we sent Wednesday.  Here is what the letter contained:

Date: August 1, 2022
To: Elected officials of Iowa’s cities, counties, and townships, their officers, and associations
From: Iowa Firearms Coalition – John McLaughlin, Chairman
Re: Notice of important legal developments regarding Iowa’s preemption of weapons regulation to
the state (Iowa Code 724.28)

*****

Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC) is the preeminent organization representing Second Amendment
concerns for all firearms owners in this state. As such, we seek to ensure that government at all
levels recognizes and protects the fundamental right of all Iowans to keep and bear arms and to
defend themselves and their loved ones. With this goal in mind, we wish to draw your attention to
significant recent legal developments regarding Iowa’s preemption of weapons regulation to the
state. (See Iowa Code 724.28, attached.)

In December of 2020, Mr. J.D. Thompson, a resident of Monroe County, Iowa, informed the
county’s Board of Supervisors that he believed them to be in violation of Iowa Code 724.28 by
posting the entirety of the courthouse as a “No Guns Zone” without providing the security required
by IC 724.28(4). In response, the Supervisors declined to alter their policy. Rather, in February of
2021, they chose to sue Mr. Thompson and IFC, who countersued on the grounds that the county
had attempted to chill the defendants’ First Amendment rights.

On June 30, 2021, District Court Judge Joel D. Yates granted the defendant’s motion for summary
judgement in the original case and permanently enjoined Monroe County “from enforcing any
policy, practice, ordinance, or resolution contrary to Iowa Code § 724.28, including the posting of
signage appearing to communicate such a policy.” Judge Yates later directed Monroe County to
pay the defendants’ attorney fees, as provided in IC 724.28(3).

In the attached press release, IFC announces the recent settlement of our countersuit. Monroe
County has paid $100,000 to IFC and Mr. Thompson, who in turn have agreed to drop the action.
While IFC believes it was entirely inappropriate for local government officials to subject a
constituent and a volunteer civic organization to two and a half years of legal turmoil in this matter,
we are pleased with the total vindication of the defendants and our interpretation of IC 724.28. This
law was enacted in 1990 and was strengthened and broadened in 2017 and 2020. The court has
now made it abundantly clear that regulation of weapons in Iowa is, indeed, reserved to the state
and prohibited to local governments, with the sole exception for building security provided in
724.28(4).

We urge all local officials to take note of these facts.

Iowa Code 724.28
724.28 Prohibition of regulation by political subdivisions — exception.
1. As used in this section, “political subdivision of the state” means a city, county, or
township.
2. A political subdivision of the state shall not enact an ordinance, motion, resolution,
policy, or amendment regulating the ownership, possession, carrying, legal transfer, lawful
transportation, modification, registration, or licensing of firearms, firearms attachments,
or other weapons when the ownership, possession, carrying, transfer, transportation, or
modification is otherwise lawful under the laws of this state. An ordinance regulating
firearms, firearms attachments, or other weapons in violation of this section existing on or
after April 5, 1990, is void.
3. If a political subdivision of the state, prior to, on, or after July 1, 2020, adopts,
makes, enacts, or amends any ordinance, measure, enactment, rule, resolution, motion, or
policy regulating the ownership, possession, carrying, legal transfer, lawful transportation,
modification, registration, or licensing of firearms, firearms attachments, or other
weapons when the ownership, possession, carrying, transfer, transportation, modification,
registration, or licensing of firearms, firearms attachments, or other weapons is otherwise
lawful under the laws of this state, a person adversely affected by the ordinance, measure,
enactment, rule, resolution, motion, or policy may file suit in the appropriate court for
declaratory and injunctive relief and all damages attributable to the violation. A court shall
also award the prevailing party in any such lawsuit reasonable attorney fees and court costs.
4. A political subdivision of the state may restrict the carrying, possession, or
transportation of firearms or other dangerous weapons in the buildings or physical structures located on property under
the political subdivision’s control if adequate arrangements are made by the political subdivision to screen persons for
firearms or other dangerous weapons and the political subdivision provides armed security personnel inside the building
or physical structure where the restriction is to be in effect.
5. A political subdivision of the state shall not enact an ordinance, motion, resolution,
policy, or amendment regulating the storage of weapons or ammunition. An ordinance,
motion, resolution, policy, or amendment regulating the storage of weapons or ammunition
existing on or after July 1, 2020, is void. This subsection shall not be construed to preclude
a political subdivision from regulating the storage of explosive materials consistent with
chapter 101A.

What we need from you is to engage with all of our social media as frequently as possible, spread the word about the Freedom Amendment, and be sure your friends and family know it is on the BACK of the ballot. Contact your legislators and advocate in support of it. As always you can join IFC by clicking HERE.