Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — The Iowa Senate has sent the governor a bill to lower the minimum age for possessing a handgun from 21 to 18.
Senator Scott Webster, a Republican from Bettendorf, says lowering the age would let more young people have a gun to protect themselves.
A 2022 US Supreme Court ruling on gun rights has led to some federal judges overturning state laws that bar 18, 19 and 20-year-olds from owning or possessing a handgun or pistol. Senator Mike Zimmer, a Democrat from DeWitt who’s a retired teacher and coach, says he’s worried about students in high schools who are 18 years old having access to a handgun on school grounds.
If the governor signs the bill into law, Iowans under the age of 21 would still be prohibited from buying a handgun from a licensed federal dealer. The bill also says a parent or guardian who lets a child under the age of 15 possess a handgun would be liable for any damages the child might cause.
KIWA Staff Photo
