18 to be the new minimum handgun age in Iowa
May 14—Beginning July 1, Iowa joins 23 states allowing the purchase and carrying of handguns by individuals 18 and older, rather than the federal age of 21.
On April 18, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed HF 924 into law, changing the state's minimum age.
While both federal and Iowa law already allowed for the purchase of long guns like shotguns and rifles for 18 year olds, many states don't allow this for pistols and revolvers.
Ten states and the District of Columbia have minimum age gun laws stricter than the federal standard.
Proponents of lowering the handgun purchase age say it prevents discrimination.
"This aligns with recent federal court rulings affirming that young adults, aged 18 to 20 may not, as a class, be denied full access to their Second Amendment rights," reads a statement by the Iowa Firearms Coalition. "By proactively addressing this issue, Iowa lawmakers have helped ensure our state remains a leader in protecting these fundamental rights."
A lobbyist with the Iowa Firearms Coalition, Richard Rogers, said this change is long overdue.
"Iowa's young adults are being discriminated against unfairly as to their Second Amendment rights," he said. "They are legally and morally responsible for the care and safety of that family, and yet, we deny them the access to the most practical, portable tool for self-defense."
The law also allows those 18 years or older who are a parent, guardian or spouse of someone who is younger than 18 to directly supervise the younger individual in possessing a pistol, revolver or ammunition. The adult must "maintain a physical presence near the supervised person conducive to hands-on instruction, who maintains visual and verbal contact at all times with the supervised person and who is not intoxicated."
Since 2021, Iowans are allowed to both purchase and carry handguns without a permit to acquire or a permit to carry, subject to certain limitations.
The Iowa Department of Public Safety still recommends obtaining a permit as there are benefits, including allowing Iowans to carry in states with permit reciprocity while traveling.
Critics of the bill cite the dangers of gun violence in young adults.
"Laws imposing minimum age requirements for the possession and purchase of firearms are intended to decrease access to firearms by young people and, correspondingly, to decrease the number of suicides, homicides and unintentional shootings among that population," reads a statement by Giffords Law Center. "Given that young people are at elevated risk of engaging in violent behaviors against themselves or others, these laws have the potential to protect a particularly vulnerable group."
An FBI Supplementary Homicide Report shows 18-20 year olds comprise just 4% of the U.S. population but account for 17% of known gun homicide offenders.
Giffords also cites a 2024 study that found state laws raising the minimum legal age to purchase firearms to 21 were associated with a 12% decline in rates of firearm suicides among 18 to 20 year olds.
Other Firearms Bills
May 6, Reynolds signed Senate File 106 into law, allowing the carry of a loaded firearm while operating a snowmobile or ATV.
While the bill still prohibits discharging a weapon while operating the vehicle, it does allow for carrying if all other conduct is lawful. Non-ambulatory Iowans are allowed to shoot while on the vehicle as long as it is not moving.
"The NRA thanks Governor Reynolds, pro-gun lawmakers and all NRA members and Second Amendment advocates for their engagement on this critical legislation," the National Rifle Association said in a statement.
House File 791, an act regarding firearm safety instruction in school districts, passed the House committee on public safety last month in anticipation of a start date next year.
"By July 1, 2026, develop and distribute to all school districts an age-appropriate model program for firearm safety instruction for students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade," the text states.
The program for Iowans sixth grade and younger is to be based on the Eddie Eagle gun safety program developed by the NRA. For those in seventh through 12th grade, the program would be based on the NRA's hunter education course.
The bill will require public school districts to offer or make available an approved firearm safety instruction course to all students in seventh through 12th grade. They must also make the program available for students attending private schools in their district.
The cost is to be paid by the school district using money from state school foundation aid received into the school's general fund. "No additional state funding shall be necessary for the full implementation of this act," the bill states.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
California's 30-day gun law unconstitutional, appeals court rules
California violates the constitutional right to own guns by limiting purchases to one every 30 days, a federal appeals court ruled Friday. It was the latest in a series of decisions reassessing the state's firearms restrictions since the Supreme Court set new limits on gun-control laws four years ago. The state contended its law, which restricted handgun sales in 1999 and was expanded to apply to all firearms last year, was a safety measure to prevent owners from stockpiling weapons and making 'straw sales' to people who could not legally buy them. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the restriction unduly interferes with the right to keep and bear arms. 'We doubt anyone would think government could limit citizens' free-speech right to one protest a month, their free-exercise right to one worship service per month, or their right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures to apply only to one search or arrest per month,' Judge Danielle Forrest said in the 3-0 ruling. 'Possession of multiple firearms and the ability to acquire firearms through purchase without meaningful constraints are protected by the Second Amendment,' Forrest said, 'and California's law is not supported by our nation's tradition of firearms regulation.' She was referring to the standard set by the Supreme Court in 2022 when it overturned New York's ban on carrying concealed handguns in public. In that ruling, Justice Clarence Thomas said government restrictions on firearms are unconstitutional unless they are shown to be 'consistent with this nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation.' Firearms advocates have challenged a number of California laws under that standard. But courts have upheld the state's restrictions on carrying concealed weapons in areas such as parks, banks and government buildings. A state law banning gun possession by domestic violence abusers survived when the Supreme Court upheld a similar federal law last year. And the appeals court has upheld a ban on gun sales on state property. In Friday's decision, however, Forrest said limiting where guns can be sold 'is a significantly lesser interference with an individual's ability to acquire (and therefore possess) firearms than banning the purchase of more than one firearm in a 30-day period.' Forrest, appointed by President Donald Trump, was joined by Judges Bridget Bade, another Trump appointee, and John Owens, appointed by President Barack Obama. Owens said in a separate opinion that he agreed with Forrest's reasoning but added that the case 'does not address other means of reducing bulk and straw purchasing of firearms, which our nation's tradition of firearm regulation may support.' The ruling upheld a decision by U.S. District Judge William Hayes of San Diego. Raymond DiGuiseppe, lawyer for gun companies and individuals who challenged the law, said Friday's ruling was 'the only acceptable outcome in a society where all constitutional rights must stand on equal footing.' Attorney General Rob Bonta's office said the state 'is committed to defending our common-sense gun safety laws' and declined further comment. Bonta could ask the full appeals court for a new hearing before a larger panel.
Boston Globe
5 hours ago
- Boston Globe
R.I. Senate votes to ban sale, purchase of assault-style weapons
The Rhode Island Senate vote tally on amended legislation to ban the sale, purchase, and manufacture of assault-style weapons. Edward Fitzpatrick Senators Louis P. DiPalma, the Middletown Democrat who sponsored the Senate version of the bill, noted that assault weapons bills have been introduced for a dozen years without becoming law. 'We need to get this done,' he said. 'We need to get this done today.' Advertisement DiPalma noted that a union Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up He said the state of Washington has enacted a similar law banning the sale, purchase and manufacture of assault-style weapons. And he said that if the bill becomes law in Rhode Island, 'the proliferation of assault style weapons will go down precipitously.' Senator Pamela J. Lauria, a Barrington Democrat, attempted to amend the bill to reflect the House-passed version of the legislation. She said it is crucial to pass a bill that bans possession — and not just sale — of assault weapons, especially now that President Trump's administration is scaling back the federal government's ability to enforce gun laws. Advertisement Lauria noted that Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha had backed the House version of the bill, saying he could defend it in court. And she urged senators to 'pass the best possible bill,' including a ban on sale and possession of those guns. But DiPalma objected to Lauria's amendment, saying it sought to circumvent the committee process that had resulted in the House bill being held for further study in the Senate Judiciary Committee. New Senate President Valarie J. Lawson, an East Providence Democrat and teachers union president, upheld DiPalma's objection. Lauria challenged Lawson's ruling, and the Senate then voted 25 to 12 to back Lawson's ruling, thereby killing Lauria's amendment. Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz, a North Smithfield Republican, and other Republicans proposed several amendments, including a proposal to delay implementation until July 1, 2027, rather than July 1, 2026. De la Cruz said the banned weapons make up to 70 percent of the stock of some gun shops, and they need time to adjust. She noted the legislature had delayed implementation of new laws on casino smoking and payday loans, and she said those law don't involve the 'fundamental rights of the Second Amendment.' Senator Andrew R. Dimitri, a Johnston Democrat, voted against the bill, saying, 'This bill still punishes good people, and does nothing to stop crime.' But Senator Meghan E. Kallman, a Pawtucket Democrat, voted for the bill, citing mass shootings ranging from Columbine High School in 1999 to the Tree of Life synagogue in 2018. 'I am appealing to this chamber's sense of urgency. I do not want to have it happen here,' Kallman said. But she said she was voting for the bill 'over deep disappointment because we had the opportunity to do something better, stronger, and with much more moral clarity.' Advertisement In the leadup to Friday's vote, Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at
Fox News
17 hours ago
- Fox News
'I don't see any other way': Republicans push for gun tax cut in Trump's 'big, beautiful bill'
Inside President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" are policy tweaks that would remove taxes and regulations on certain guns, but Senate Democrats aim to gut the changes from the bill. Tucked into the Senate Finance Committee's offering to the mammoth bill, which was unveiled earlier this week, are policy changes that would delist short-barrel rifles, shotguns and suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA). That means those particular guns and accessories would no longer be subject to a $200 federal tax and would no longer need to be registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The changes come from the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act, a bill pushed by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., in the upper chamber, and Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., in the House. Marshall told Fox News Digital he believed the gun language would make Trump's megabill "even more beautiful," while Clyde said in a statement the changes would "restore our Second Amendment rights." However, Democrats have vowed to inflict as much pain as possible on their Republican colleagues through the "Byrd Bath" process, which is when lawmakers and their staff work behind the scenes to ensure the litany of policy within the "big, beautiful bill" comports with the Byrd Rule that governs reconciliation. And the gun language is likely high on the chopping block for Senate Democrats. "Taxation and registration of firearms under the draconian NFA are inseparably linked," Clyde said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "I'm confident our pro-2A provision will survive the Byrd Rule, and I look forward to delivering this constitutional victory for the American people." Marshall, similarly, wasn't too concerned the provision would be scrubbed by Democrats in their Byrd Bath pursuit and noted, "That's what reconciliation bills are supposed to deal with, is taxes." He argued the Supreme Court upheld the NFA, which, despite being primarily a regulatory framework, does include an excise tax. The court upheld the NFA and the excise taxes it imposed as constitutional in the 1930s. More recently, the regulatory framework was upheld by the court in the Bruen decision in 2022. Still, Marshall viewed the filibuster-proof budget reconciliation process, which allows Republicans to pass Trump's mammoth bill with only 51 votes, as the only chance he and the GOP have to codify the changes to the NFA. "I don't see another way to do it," he said. "I mean, obviously it would take 60 votes. And, you know, I don't see any other way to make this actually happen." Meanwhile, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., declined to get into detail on the exact strategy he and other Democratic lawmakers would use to go after provisions buried in the broader reconciliation text. But he noted that the point of reconciliation is to focus on spending and budgetary effects and that "a lot of times you see Republicans, very conservative Republicans, try to convince the parliamentarian that something really is spending when it's really an ideological trophy." "I can tell you this, the Byrd Bath is the legislative equivalent of prolonged root canal work," Wyden told Fox News Digital. "It's detailed, we've begun it, I'm practiced in it. I've worked in this area for some time, and my staff is expecting to spend the whole rest of next week digging into it."
