Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — The Iowa Senate has passed a bill that would let Iowans who are legally allowed to carry firearms have guns in their locked vehicles in state, county and city parking lots.
Republican Senator Jason Schultz of Schleswig says the bill protects the Second Amendment rights of law abiding Iowans.
Senator Art Staed, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, voted against the bill. He says unlike private property, state and local governments have a responsibility to ensure safety in public parking lots.
The original bill would have let Iowans have guns in parked vehicles in the parking lots of Iowa community colleges, the three state supported universities, and in the parking lots of Iowa’s K-12 schools, but those provisions were removed.
Senator Mike Zimmer, a Democrat from DeWitt, is a retired teacher, administrator and coach. Zimmer says he’s seen some angry people in the lines waiting to drop off or pick up students.
Senator Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, says tailgating parking lots should remain gun-free zones.
The bill, which passed on a 35-12 vote, would also let Iowans have a loaded gun in a vehicle that’s transporting a child in foster care.
The Iowa Senate gave nearly unanimous approval to a different bill that would let state lawmakers, judges, and the attorney general get a professional permit to carry a weapon. That bill passed on a 45-2 vote.
KIWA Staff Photo
