IFC Victories and Disappointments in the 90th Iowa General Assembly
Iowa’s 90th General Assembly adjourned its second and final regular session in the wee hours last Saturday morning. Legislators left the Capitol after three and a half months and headed to their homes throughout the state. Some legislators are retiring, while others will now begin to ramp up their campaigns for the election next November – or, in some cases, for the primary election in June. Now is an appropriate time for those of us in the Second Amendment community to begin to evaluate how we fared in the 90th GA and start to plan for the 91st. First, the good news…
In case you missed the disappointments, take a LOOK HERE to view them.
Part I – Victories
Of the bills of primary interest to IFC this year, the following are the ones that passed both the House and Senate. The Students First Safety Act and the Second Amendment Privacy Act were signed by Governor Reynolds almost immediately. We expect that she will sign the others as well.
This bill is focused on enhancing security in Iowa’s schools. It directs school districts with a minimum enrolment of eight thousand students to employ at least one private school security officer or school resource officer in each high school building. These officers are required to undergo annual and quarterly training approved by the Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS). School districts with less than eight thousand students are also encouraged to utilize security officers.
Most importantly in IFC’s view, the bill authorizes the issuance of professional permits to carry firearms to qualified school employees who comply with the initial and recurring training requirements to be established by DPS. Under this new law, school employees who meet these requirements and are authorized by their school to be armed are granted qualified immunity should they need to use reasonable force in the performance of their employment. The schools are also granted qualified immunity. It is expected that this provision will facilitate the ability of Iowa schools that choose to arm staff members to obtain insurance coverage by encouraging competition in the marketplace. The company that currently enjoys a virtual monopoly on public school insurance in Iowa has so far refused coverage to any school that authorizes armed staff.
IFC is confident that eliminating schools as phony “gun-free zones” and establishing rapid response security teams composed of armed school staff members is the single most effective means of limiting casualties should evil threaten to harm Iowa’s school children.
HF2652 – school security infrastructure
This bill established requirements and standards to improve public school security and provided for the training of existing school staff to form armed quick-response security teams under the provisions of the Students First Safety Act.
This bill is intended to prevent discrimination on the basis of transactions involving firearms and ammunition. It prohibits the assignment by financial institutions, credit card processors, etc. of transaction codes to Iowa-based retailers that specifically identify them as firearms dealers. The new law also prohibits a person or any unit of Iowa government from keeping a record or registry of privately owned firearms or their owners, with exceptions for criminal investigations, prosecutions, and the like.
HF2556 – a bill to strengthen current protections against regulation of weapons by political subdivisions of the state by establishing a schedule of damages that may be awarded by the court in lawsuits brought against a local government for enacting or maintaining an unlawful restriction in violation of Iowa Code 724.28. The damages may be assessed up to $5,000 for unknowing violations and up to $25,000 for knowing violations. This law becomes effective on Jan. 1, 2025. IFC wishes to acknowledge and thank Rep. Bill Gustoff for authoring this bill and shepherding it to enactment with wide bipartisan support. Rep. Gustoff is not only a great legislative champion of your Second Amendment rights but has been IFC’s attorney since our creation.
HF2421 – a bill to limit the liability of a federal firearms licensee (FFL) that enters into voluntary “firearm hold agreements” “for any act or omission arising from or subsequent to a firearm hold agreement and resulting in personal injury or death…, including the return of a firearm to the individual firearm owner…at the termination of a firearm hold agreement.” This bill was sought by Iowa mental health advocates and championed by IFC.
While several other minor bills endorsed by IFC passed, these – and the two failed bills to be discussed in Part II, were the main focus of IFC’s testimony at the Capitol and of our efforts to educate both legislators and the public.
Tomorrow, we’ll discuss two major disappointments and the implications of those losses.
-Richard Rogers – IFC Board Member and Chief Lobbyist
Brenna Bird, Iowa Attorney General, joins IFC on this episode of Warrior Wednesday. We break down the Bank of America “de-banking” hustle and discuss the action by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. If you’re from KS or have an interest in the state, be sure to check in at kansasrifle.org (KSRA) and become a member. They’ve got a great organization there and IFC has worked with them in the past.
Arming school staff in Iowa passes the legislature and is signed by Governor Kim Reynolds. The public has questions and IFC is here to help answer them.
Question 1: [Regarding HF2586] I see Council Bluffs schools is saying they have no intention of arming their staff. My question is, is it up to the school board to give permission to the schools or teachers or are teachers and staff welcome to go ahead and start the process of getting their professional permits and carrying in school since the law took effect immediately?
Answer: [Sir,] it has always been the law that “A person who has been specifically authorized by the school to go armed with, carry, or transport a firearm on the school grounds for any lawful purpose” [724.4B(2)(a)] is exempt from the general prohibition on carrying or possessing a firearm at a school. The question is, WHO can make that authorization “by the school”? Presumably, the school’s principal or acting principal could authorize anyone with a (nonprofessional) permit to carry weapons to carry at a school. However, in a public school system, it seems unlikely that a principal – or even a superintendent – would do so without specific authorization from the school board. In any case, a school board could certainly rescind any such authorization if it wished.
As to the new law, it provides for a professional permit to carry to be issued to school employees. While the statute does not require authorization from a school in order to apply for such a permit, in practice it is very unlikely that any school employees will seek out the extensive training that will be required to attain and maintain certification for that permit. This is because the purpose of the specialized training for this professional permit is to allow schools and their AUTHORIZED armed employees to be granted qualified immunity from liability for the reasonable use of force used in the course of employment by the school. (Any law enforcement officer using force in response to a “situation” at a school has such qualified immunity. “Qualified” here means that there is a presumption of immunity from liability, but that presumption may be rebutted by evidence.)
While the law is currently in effect, the statute requires that the Iowa Department of Public Safety will design a curriculum for initial and recurrent training and certify trainers for this special permit. Thus the availability of the training and permits is months away – at least.
Question 2: Lewis Central schools is saying they tried to arm a security guard and their insurance said they would be dropped if they allowed him to carry. Is there an answer for this? Would this law also pertain to teachers in daycares?
Answer: The company that has a virtual monopoly on public school insurance in Iowa has refused to cover schools that arm existing staff, including teachers. However, it is my understanding that the Des Moines Public Schools now employ their own “Security Officers”, after ending the previous arrangement with DM Police Dept. for SROs. It is my understanding that these security officers are armed, but that may not be correct. I don’t know.
As I said in the comment above, the whole point of the professional permit and specialized training for armed school employees is to be able to grant qualified immunity to schools and their armed staff. It is hoped that doing so will bring new insurers into the market for coverage in Iowa, if not convince EMC to change its policy in this regard.
As to teachers and other staff at daycare facilities, they are not prohibited by Iowa law from being armed, including with firearms – UNLESS they are on school property. The prohibition in Iowa law applies to the property of public AND private schools, grades pre-K to 12.
Thanks to IFC Board Member, Richard Rogers, for the responses!
Apples to apples, a comparison that we hear all the time from those dangerous quack gun control advocates. You know, the same people who tell us to “follow the science”, but who never do. A great example is that for over two hundred years New York City’s murder rate has been more than five times what London’s has been. In 1911, NYC passed the strictest gun control law in America. This was, thankfully, overturned by the Bruen decision over 100 years later. In this YouTube video, “Gun Control Zealots Hate Facts, This is Why…”, Dr. Thomas Sowell points out why it’simportant to look into the full history and not just make snapshot comparisons of different countries. As Dr. Sowell says; “Gun control zealots, they hate facts!” Sorta like President Biden when it comes to guns.
IFC 2024 IOWA LEGISLATIVE WRAP UP
One importantpiece of legislation that was passed and just signed by Governor Reynolds is the Students First Safety Act. Slightly amended from the original version that passed the Iowa House, it takes effect immediately.
In an op-ed out of The Tennessean, we find out that the same common sense eluding Iowa’s State Education Association leadership is also a problem in The Volunteer State. The author opines:
“Teachers like me are trained to educate kids. Arming us will make everyone less safe.”
It’s easy for any thinking person to take her arguments apart here:
“My lifelong passion for education has led me straight to Nashville, Tennessee, where I now major in elementary education at Vanderbilt.
Part of my studies requires me to complete countless hours of elementary education curricula, including tutoring, practicum, and student teaching, all to ensure I’m well trained for the many challenges of the job. Managing a classroom is taxing, it takes an incredible amount of focus and dedication for not only students but also teachers, to get through a single lesson.
And these difficulties are all without deadly weapons in the mix. Our attention should be on students, not firearms. Guns are already the leading cause of death for my generation – and my students’ generation – and this would only increase the risk for me and my students.”
Teachers overwhelmingly agree that guns do not belong in schools
More guns in more places do not make us safer, especially schools. The risk of a shooting increases when we bring guns into the classroom. There have already been several incidents of guns unintentionally or intentionally discharged on school grounds by school staff. Not only that but research also strongly suggests that children will access guns when they are present. There have been multiple situations where guns carried into schools were misplaced and several more where they were outright stolen by students.”
Interesting to me that Tennessee teachers don’t trust their fellow teachers with firearms, yet they expect us to trust these same teachers with our kids? Several of the author’s statements are flat-out lies.
Scholastic Clays is the safest sport in American schools and has been from its inception.
Never forget that Time and Math are irrefutable when it comes to stopping an armed attacker.
Watch this short Facebook video by IFC Board member Richard Rogers for a breakdown of our legislative victories in this session here. Richard will have more details on those victories shortly.
Please stay Ready at All Times, and help us defend all of Iowa’s rights by joining or renewing your IFC membership here today.
Shoot Straight, Speak The Truth, and Never Surrender Our Liberties.
The Member’s Field Report was submitted by a long-time IFC Volunteer. Enjoy!
“OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE”
Children enjoy playing Hide and Seek. As they make their way to Home, the Hiders do their best to not be discovered by the Seeker who would then Tap them OUT. Once they are seen, the kids run as fast as they can to reach Home and then yell out “OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE”! It is a “Catch as Catch Can” game. You either Win or Lose, it is pure competition at its best. The lessons learned are valuable.
In our State Capitol, our legislators play the same game. It is easy for those of us around the State to become frustrated by the whole process, and we throw up our hands in despair.
Well, wait a Minute! Iowa has 99 Counties; each one is unique unto itself, and each one represented in the Legislature. I recently had the opportunity to visit one of those Counties and found “OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE” in the hundreds!
In Franklin County, in the town of Hampton, Iowans who value Our Republic held a Republican Fundraising Rally featuring several Top Line speakers. The flyer introduces Sheriff Mark Lamb from Pinal County Arizona.
In addition, we heard from Iowa’s Attorney General Brenna Bird and from State Representative Shannon Latham.
Sheriff Lamb told us that our Nation IS facing serious problems. He described the illegal border crossing situation in down-to-earth terms. The illegals pass right on through Arizona on their way to Iowa and other States. We have seen them moving North as we drive to Arizona! The Sheriff made his point clear that we are ALL Border States now!
He discussed the assault on our 2nd Amendment rights. The Sheriff showed us that our country was founded as a Constitutional Republic…we are Not a Democracy! As he spoke about “The Rain” coming down on us, he advised us to Not throw up our hands in Despair! “The Rain” encourages us to do something, to Engage in the battle for our Country. He invoked George Washington several times as a Fighter in “The Rain”!
Sheriff Lamb has Firsthand Experience with these issues facing our Nation. The man knows what he is talking about! It was an informative and interesting program. He noted that our 2nd Amendment Rights are Fundamental to the Nation! He encouraged us to Get Involved!
Iowa’s Attorney General, Brenna Bird, spoke about the challenges we are facing. She made it clear that “President” Joe Biden never fails to give her an opportunity to sue his administration, which she Gladly looks forward to every day! The attack on the 2nd Amendment was a Big Constitutional Issue for her. She had to return to Des Moines that evening to deal with yet another lawsuit against the Biden Administration!
Agriculture and the Iowans engaged in it are an important part of regaining control of our Nation! The State Representative from North Iowa, District 55, Shannon Lathamspoke about the challenges that Farming Communities faced, especially Eminent Domain issues and underground pipelines. She is deeply involved in the Legislative process and The Game of Hide and Seek. She was confident that the Citizens of Iowa would be able to declare “OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE” at the end of this session.
We were Greeted warmly after the 90-minute drive North to Hampton Iowa. SURPRISE! There were over two hundred conservative Iowans who value our Constitution and Bill of Rights! The meeting began with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Honor Guard Detail presenting the Flags followed by The Pledge of Allegiance.
Our Fellow Iowans were positive and determined to step forward and take back control of our Nation. We came away from this Rally looking forward to better times!
The Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC) is major factor in the State Legislative process. Our lobbyist is Richard Rogers, who is known as one of the very best lobbyists in the State. He understands the game of Hide and Seek!
The IFC is working to protect our 2nd Amendment Rights, even as the ATF is now trying to make each of us a Law Breaker. The IFC can Loudly call out “OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE”, as they were involved in making our schools safer places through Teacher Firearms Training.
If we follow Sheriff Lamb’s advice…we will step forward and renew our memberships in the IFC. Write our Senator and Representative. Attend a Rally. Pass on the word that “The Rain” encourages Patriots to take action to protect our Homes and Nation. He finished with this thought…. “If You don’t Fight, you won’t Win”. Fight to protect your 2nd Amendment Rights!
I mentioned earlier that Iowa has 99 counties. Every County has a group like those in Franklin County. The IFC supports these Pro-2nd Amendment groups. Every one of these conservative groups is working to protect our Nation so that they can declare – “OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE” – and come Home to Our Republic!
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In Franklin County, in the town of Hampton, Iowans who value Our Republic held a Republican Fundraising Rally featuring several Top Line speakers. The flyer introduces Sheriff Mark Lamb from Pinal County Arizona.
our country was founded as a Constitutional Republic…we are Not a Democracy! As he spoke about “The Rain” coming down on us, he advised us to Not throw up our hands in Despair! “The Rain” encourages us to do something, to Engage in the battle for our Country. He invoked George Washington several times as a Fighter in “The Rain”!
spoke about the challenges that Farming Communities faced, especially Eminent Domain issues and underground pipelines. She is deeply involved in the Legislative process and The Game of Hide and Seek. She was confident that the Citizens of Iowa would be able to declare “OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE” at the end of this session.
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