HF716, an act dealing with firearms requirements for deer hunting. This is largely a technical bill, meant to 1.) allow for supervised youth handgun hunting in alignment with 2017 legislation on supervised youth handgun shooting, and 2.) streamline and clarify the definition of allowable ammunition to be used in the deer hunt. It also requires the Natural Resources Council to use established federal definitions of firearms when writing NRC rules.
This has been an extremely time-consuming project of IFC and NRA for more than three years. We have consulted and negotiated with NRC, DNR, numerous legislators, and other interest groups in attempting to correct some flaws in current statutes and rules.
Special thanks to Representative Holt and Representative Windschitl from the Iowa House, and Senator Cournoyer and Senator Whitver from the Iowa Senate. We appreciate your hard work and perseverance.
Iowa Firearms Coalition and our allies in the NRA are celebrating a great victory today in our years-long battle to prevent an unworkable patchwork of weapons regulations across our state. Iowans deserve – and have been insisting upon –minimal, uniform and understandable regulation throughout the state. Without that uniformity, it becomes impractical and perhaps even impossible for law-abiding citizens to travel outside – or even within – their own community while possessing or carrying a defensive weapon. We have long fought to protect and enhance Iowa’s “preemption” statute, Iowa Code 724.28, which was enacted in April 1990, but which has been widely and openly ignored. That will soon change with the passage today of HF2502, which greatly strengthens that law.
HF2502is a bill for an act relating to firearms and weapons, including the storage, carrying, possession, or transportation of weapons and the establishment, use, and maintenance of shooting ranges. This bill passed the House 52-44 in a party-line vote on February 27 of this year. It passed overwhelmingly in the Senate yesterday afternoon. The party-line vote was 32-17. The bill now goes to the Governor for consideration. We fully expect that she will quickly sign it and that it will become effective on July 1.
Details of the bill:
Shooting Range Protection
Provides that cities and counties may not apply and enforce arbitrary regulations and restrictions upon those seeking to establish, use, or maintain an existing shooting range or to improve an existing range. Conditions may not be imposed beyond the requirements of standard zoning and of state law.
Protection of “Courthouse Carry” from Judicial Overreach
Provides that a court order prohibiting the lawful carrying, possession, or transportation of a weapon in a county courthouse or other joint-use public facility shall be unenforceable unless the judicial order applies only to a courtroom or a court office, or to a courthouse used only for judicial branch functions.
Prohibition of Weapons Regulation by Local Governments
Amends Iowa Code 724.28 to make absolutely clear that only the Iowa Legislature may regulate the ownership, possession, legal transfer, lawful transportation, modification, registration, or licensing of firearms, firearms attachments, or other weapons. (Underlined words are new. The statute previously applied only to firearms.)
In addition:
Local governments may not enact an ordinance, motion, resolution, policy, or amendment to such effect. Such measures are void after July 1, 2020. This will include, for instance, library and park “rules of conduct”.
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 for damages 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. (Underlined language is new.)
Local governments may not regulate the storage of weapons or ammunition. (Exception allowed for storage rules applied to manufacture/distribution of explosive materials.)
The bill provides a limited exception to the prohibition on 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.
View Rep. Steven Holt’s closing remarks when HF2502 was passed by his House Public Safety subcommittee on 2/10/2020.
Have you ever heard the term “Decoration Day” by someone in your family or among your friends? We used to refer to Memorial Day as “Decoration Day” for specific reasons. Sure, we decorate the graves of others over this weekend specifically, but the core of this federal holiday is slowly becoming lost I fear and I wanted to pen a note for your contemplation. Not for a second am I suggesting we skip placing flowers, flags, and decoration atop the graves of our loved ones, family, and friends of days gone by. However, this holiday, rightly, is specifically tailored to honor our country’s military personnel whose lives were forfeit while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
I make every attempt this weekend each year to think about a soldier’s personal touch on our lives as he or she lived, rather than solely how they gave their life. I have often heard my dad refer to his then best friend, Howard Cox, who served in Vietnam. Dad has spoken freely and often about Howard. It has been obvious to me over the many years he and I have enjoyed together that he misses his friend. More obvious is the fact they must have been pretty tight. This year, as I pondered that, I decided to call my Dad up and ask for a better understanding of Howard.
Howard’s middle name, Max, was applied under grim circumstances. For his uncle, Max Cox was fighting in the Pacific during WWII. Upon his birth Howard’s folks named him Howard Max Cox after his uncle who all feared would not return from the islands alive. Fate saw otherwise, wounded and bound to a stretcher that was hidden so well in the jungle even his brothers in arms couldn’t remember where to find him, Max survived his injuries to return home to his family and infant nephew. Named in no small part for his uncle Max who was looking headlong at death during battle, it was Howard who wouldn’t return home among the living.
Lance Corporal Howard Max Cox, C CO, 1ST BN, 5TH MARINES, 1ST MARDIV, III MAF, United States Marine Corps was quite a character as near as I can tell. Just about like any energetic rural Iowa farm boy, he worked hard and played hard. Dad shared with me several stories, all of which made me smile and a few that made me chuckle. One or two came with an asterisk of course, “You shouldn’t share that one,” Dad would giggle and mention after he was done reliving it for me… My Dad and Howard sounded a lot like me and my buddies as he shared some of the stories – even the ‘screwdrivers’ they mixed up in college one night with vodka and orange juice that foolishly continued to be labeled ‘screwdrivers’ long after they had run out of orange juice – that sounded eerily familiar.
Howard was a phenomenal athlete as I understand it. He strong and sleek, as most farm boys are, and he set records in track, baseball, and football at Bedford High School in South West Iowa. He and my dad were best friends in High School and both worked to save up some money to attend college in Maryville, MO. Howard mowed ditches for the county and Dad worked the farm and took odd jobs to fund college. Howard intended on becoming a coach and from what Dad describes of his intellect, drive, and leadership qualities, he’d have been a fine coach.
I’ve attached a couple of pictures I found and Dad verified they were most certainly Howard. Dad joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Iran for a couple of years. A little over a year after Dad left for the Middle East, Howard joined the Marines – August of 1967. Howard and the 5th Marines were sent into Hue City after the Tet Offensive to drive out the NVA. The Siege of Hue, as it is often called, was a terrible and bloody prolonged battle. Howard was wounded by small arms fire and evacuated to a military hospital in Da Nang on February 21st, 1968. Howard died the following day at the age of 22, on the 22nd of February.
When I showed my Dad the pictures I had found, he mentioned something profound and solemn to me. “The first and last time I ever saw Howard in his Marine uniform, was in his casket.” Dad had returned from two years in Iran with the Peace Corps and was headed into the Army right after Howard’s funeral. To see your best friend in his uniform for the first and last time, laid perfectly in a coffin, as you prepare to head off to basic training must have been a very heavy lift for my Dad. The lowering of his voice and change in timber indicated to me he was most likely thinking of standing over his friend as he mentioned that small but enormous truth to me. Dad and I are a lot alike, and I imagine he even remembered things as subtle as the scent of the church that day, the tear-stained cheek of Gladys Cox, Howard’s biggest and most animated fan at his ball games, and certainly Kenneth’s warm handshake and embrace as a father committing his son’s body to the Earth. Those thoughts rattle around in my head, as they are the kinds of things I too remember when I attempt to help others through their losses. Dad uses his five senses. As do I. I wonder if he occasionally wishes he didn’t, just as I.
I seek not to come across as the bummer of an otherwise great barbequing weekend for you all. Rather, as a reminder of the incumbent responsibility on us all to consider this day in context as we remember, honor, and mourn the loss of this brotherhood of military service. I leave you with this from the Gospel of John. 15:13 – Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
IFC is often asked if we support the NRA. It helps to seek the context of such a question. In every question or statement, we should always search for the context behind it so we can ascertain the premise. When we don’t, we skip vital information and risk arriving at the wrong conclusions. Always be cognizant of this.
Some people are searching for our affiliations when they ask us about the NRA. IFC has worked its tail off for years to move from being an affiliate club to the one and only official NRA State Association in Iowa. Through years of hard work and perseverance, we accomplished this lofty goal in January of 2019. This coveted recognition is reserved for the very best of the best and we continued to work daily with the NRA.
The legislation alone that we’ve pushed forth with NRA-ILA is akin to moving mountains. If you look at where Iowa was just a bit over a decade ago, things were average at best. With Shall Issue, Castle Doctrine, Preemption, Stand Your Ground, dove hunting, suppressors and short barreled rifles/shotguns, repeal of a dozen bans ranging from Youth Shooting to ATV and Bow Hunting Carry, the list of liberties opened up to Iowans is nearly too long to list.
From a “programs” standpoint, as the NRA Official State Association here in Iowa, we brought the first Refuse to be a Victim classes into the fold. IFC arranged the first NRA School Shield training for Iowa’s Law Enforcement community. IFC and NRA work together to put on various meetings, rallies, and our huge 2A Day at the Iowa Capitol each year. Some of IFC’s sponsored shooters took top marks at the NRA Nationals in 2019. These are all things that would be exponentially harder without NRA’s cooperation and we’re glad we work together on your behalf. We do these things for others, not ourselves.
The other question we see is one regarding subjects like Wayne LaPierre or specific allegiances at NRA. People want to know if we support Wayne LaPierre or we denounce him. Frankly, that’s a false choice at this point, and we’re not entertaining it. I, like you, have serious questions I expect to have answered about operations within the NRA. However, I also understand that NRA is in the fight of its life against the behemoth we know as New York State for their right to even exist, as they are chartered out of the State of New York. Every shred of communication they offer can and likely will be used against them in New York’s court. Thus, I understand not offering up words that will be twisted in court at this moment. My hope is the NRA gets done with this suit, moves the charter to a friendly state, and we learn the truth about the questions we have.
I have no doubt mistakes have been made. Why? Because the NRA is comprised of human beings and we’re prone to error. I won’t be dicing up anyone without the full facts and I won’t complicate the issue by juxtaposing what I hear with brash statements, conspiracy theories, or grand claims. I have no doubt mistakes have been made, but frankly, I’m more concerned with how the mistakes have been realized and corrected than I am with playing the blame game. I worked for years under the kind of short-sighted management that was more interested in blowing their stack over a mistake than illuminating and repairing the core problem so we could avoid the mistake a second time. I’m chiefly interested in those kinds of healthy and wise actions.
I recognize NRA has external and internal challenges. We all do, whether as organizations, corporations, congregations, or families. IFC holds the relationship we enjoy with NRA in the highest of value. I won’t let a series of well-timed hit pieces coming from New York publications and New York authors while the state of New York simultaneously shakes down the NRA, reshape my fundamental reverence for the organization that has done so much for 2nd Amendment virtues over the span of nearly 150 years. I want the facts, but I’m willing to wait until they become available. If I form an opinion without them, I’m guilty of the same nonsense our opposition employs as they lobby against our fundamental civil rights on a daily basis. That simply won’t do…
While some states are shutting hunting down, Iowa persists with safe practice recommendations. Good on them! We received this from the Iowa DNR this morning:
If you are a spring turkey hunter, the DNR encourages you to plan ahead and get your hunting license and turkey tag at least 7-10 days in advance so tags have time to arrive in the mail before the season begins.
The rapidly evolving situation with COVID-19 is causing many retailers to change hours or how they do business, including those that sell hunting and fishing licenses. Consider buying online or visiting a retailer sooner rather than later. Don’t wait until the last minute if you want to have your tags on time.
For youth season hunters: Youth season is April 10-12. Remember, if the youth does not fill their tag during the youth season, they may use it during the four remaining spring seasons until filled. The key is to purchase the youth season tag before season closes on April 12 because once the season is over, the tags can no longer be purchased.
When you purchase online, your hunting license will be available immediately for download. Tags are mailed to the address on your record and will arrive in 7-10 business days. Thanks for planning ahead!
Stay safe during Iowa’s spring turkey seasons
Protecting yourself during the COVID-19 national pandemic starts with following the guidance from state and national health experts – maintain at least six feet between each other, wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds, cover your cough, stay home if you feel sick and avoid groups of 10 or more people. These are unprecedented times and personal health and safety takes top priority.
Iowa’s spring turkey seasons begin with the youth-only season April 10-12, followed by the first general season April 13-16, second season April 17-21, third season April 22-28 and fourth season April 29-May 17. There is also the archery only season April 13-May 17. Hunters buying their tags online will need to plan accordingly and do it early.
Spending time in Iowa’s wild places this spring hunting turkeys is possible. The key is to follow the safety advice from health experts.
Sign up now for our e-mail alert list to stay plugged into what's going on with your 2A rights here in Iowa.
IFC will never sell, rent or share your personal information, including your e-mail address, with any third parties for any purposes without your express permission. IFC may share your personal information for the purpose of delivering our e-mail to you or as required by law.
Recent Comments