Students First Safety Act PASSES the House!

Students First Safety Act PASSES the House!

by | Feb 29, 2024

Students First Safety Act PASSES Iowa House!

HF2586, the Students First Safety Act, passes Iowa House!  Yesterday, the Iowa House passed the Students First Safety Act (now HF2586) with 61% affirmative vote, sending the bill to the Senate for action.  (Look HERE to see how your Representative voted on the bill in the House.) Today, the bill was  assigned to the 19-member Senate Education Committee for review and action.

HF2586 provides important additional safety measures and protection for students in Iowa schools.  The recent shooting in Perry, Iowa painfully demonstrates that nowhere is immune from evil.  We must do everything in our power to protect our school children.  Read the full text of the bill HERE.

IFC wishes to thank the 61 House members who voted in favor of this bill to provide additional tools to protect Iowa’s students.

PRESS RELEASE

Iowa House passes the Students First Safety Act

WHO: The Iowa Firearms Coalition and the Iowa House

WHAT: The Students First Safety Act passes the Iowa House

WHERE: Iowa State Capitol Building

WHY: To increase school safety 

(DES MOINES, Iowa) – The Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC) is pleased the Iowa House of Representatives has overwhelmingly voted to pass the “Students First Safety Act,” HF 2586. 

The bill, which allows for specially trained armed staff to carry firearms on school grounds, passed on Wednesday with 61 legislators voting in support of the pro-school safety legislation.  

“Allowing for those who love their children enough to protect them is a win for school safety and all of Iowa’s students,” said IFC President Dave Funk. “IFC is grateful to have partnered with lawmakers on moving this bill of critical importance forward and we look forward to working with the Senate and Governor Kim Reynolds to make it law.” 

While state and federal law currently allow for Iowa school districts to arm school staff, in practice, insurance companies have denied coverage to districts that have attempted to do this.  

Two school districts in northwest Iowa had worked to implement armed staff in 2023 but cancelled plans once Des Moines based EMC insurance notified the districts that their insurance policies would not be renewed if their plans went into effect. 

Under this new legislation, school staff and school districts that comply with the training requirements will receive qualified immunity from civil or criminal damages should they need to stop a threat. This language is designed to allow school districts who protect their students the ability to maintain insurance coverage.  

“In the wake of the recent act of evil at Perry High School, it’s clear no school district, large or small, is immune from being a target by someone who wishes to commit an act of evil,” said Funk. “The Students First Safety Act will force a would-be attacker to think twice before attempting to harm our kids, and should they still move forward with their plans, they’ll be stopped and lives will be saved.” 

IFC is calling on Iowans to contact their state Senator and demand they pass HF 2586 immediately. 

The full bill can found here: Iowa Legislature – BillBook 

The Iowa Firearms Coalition, Iowa’s official NRA State Association, is a 501(c4) nonprofit and is Iowa’s only effective pro-Second Amendment rights organization.

For further comment, please contact:
John McLaughlin, IFC Chair
515-724-4164
jmclaughlin@iowafc.org 

WHAT BILLS HAS IFC HELPED TO KILL SO FAR THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION?

WHAT BILLS HAS IFC HELPED TO KILL SO FAR THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION?

by | Feb 20, 2024

WHAT BILLS HAS IFC HELPED TO KILL SO FAR THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION?

What bills has IFC helped to kill so far this legislative session you ask? Here’s the shortlist:

  • HF2297 – Gun confiscation (“Red Flag”) bill
  • HF2129 – Money for a study on “Prevention of Weapons Violence”
  • HF488 – State registration requirement for personally made Firearms and “unfinished frames and receivers”
  • SF2085 – Required private transfers of pistols and revolvers to go through FFLs and NICS
  • SF2080 – Ban on standard capacity magazines
  • SF2253 – Would have created a “Mental Health Firearm Safety Fund”

This is just a sprinkling of what the anti-gun Dangerous Quacks on the left have introduced this session, reminding people that the other side is continually trying this stuff — and we’re continually working to stop it. The anti-gun Dangerous Quacks also forgot to read the Iowa Constitution and its newest Amendment: #49 – The Freedom Amendment, which prohibits any of the proposals outlined above. That Amendment would not have happened if it were not for the combined efforts of IFC, our members, and ultimately over 65% of Iowa voters. 

Students First Safety Act update

IFC is hard at work trying to bring some urgency and economic reality improvements to the Students First Safety Act, Iowa HSB 675. Although its introduction is a step in the right direction, Iowa does not need another government empire-building program, which will take years to implement, to create an armed defense for all Iowa schools.  Instead, as you know, Time and Math mandate an immediate response to an armed attacker to minimize the casualties.

Brownells’ National 2A Day — 2/22/2024!

National 2A Day is coming up rapidly and Iowa’s own Brownells.com/2ADay is not just hosting events around the country, but is donating 4% of all sales the week of February 20-25th to several organizations, including IFC!

There are lots of sponsors to National 2A Day, make sure you support them and IFC this whole week.  Check out our new video interview with Cody Hinton of Brownells about this event!

Help us defend all of Iowa’s rights by joining or renewing your IFC membership here today. And please stay Ready at All Times. 

Shoot Straight, Speak The Truth, and Never Surrender Our Liberties.

Dave Funk
President
Iowa Firearms Coalition