Des Moines, Iowa — Gun rights advocates are backing a bill that would prevent state government agencies and pension funds from doing business with investment firms that boycott the firearms industry without a reasonable business purpose to do so.
Iowa Firearms Coalition president Dave Funk spoke at a statehouse rally Wednesday afternoon.
Funk says taxpayer money should never go to companies that are trying to restrict Second Amendment rights.
Funk urged rally goers at the Iowa Capitol for Second Amendment Day to lobby their legislators on the issue. The group celebrated November’s passage of a state constitutional amendment on firearms rights, but did not mention other firearms-related bills pending in the House and Senate.
The bill, SSB 1094, states that companies that boycott certain companies or industries without a “reasonable business purpose”, and has the intention to penalize, inflict economic harm on, or limit commercial relations based on a company’s participation in various industries, including the firearms industry, would be placed on the “scrutinized company list”. The bill specifically defines a “reasonable business purpose” as any purpose directly related to promoting the financial success or stability of a company; mitigating risk to a company; complying with legal or regulatory requirements; or limiting liability to a company.
