Des Moines, Iowa — Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate have again drafted a resolution to give gun rights the highest level of protection possible under the Iowa Constitution.
Secretary of State Paul Pate’s staff missed a deadline for publishing the proposal last fall, so Republicans who’ve championed the amendment had to re-start the process. Richard Rogers, a lobbyist for the Iowa Firearms Coalition, says Iowa is one of six states that doesn’t specifically include gun rights in its constitution.
Opponents of the proposal say it goes further than the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Reverend Wendy Abrahamson, an Episcopal pastor from Grinnell, points to the inclusion of “strict scrutiny” language in the proposal.
Others say it makes current gun laws vulnerable to legal challenges. Supporters say it’ll keep lawmakers and courts from infringing on the right to keep and bear arms. The resolution triggering a statewide vote on the plan has cleared subcommittees in the House and Senate. 2022 is the earliest the proposed amendment could be presented to Iowa voters.
