• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / News / Branstad hails Iowa’s new ‘significant…pro-Second Amendment’ law (AUDIO)

Branstad hails Iowa’s new ‘significant…pro-Second Amendment’ law (AUDIO)

April 13, 2017 By O. Kay Henderson

Supporters of the gun bill surround the governor as he signs it into law.

Supporters call the measure “monumental.”

“This is an important and significant piece of legislation to people that support the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution,” Governor Terry Branstad said this morning as he signed a gun-related bill into law. *I’ve always been a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and this legislation makes Iowa one of the most pro-Second Amendment states in the country.”

The new law’s “stand your ground” provisions will shield Iowans from lawsuits or criminal charges if they shoot to defend life or property, not just in their own homes, but anywhere they are legally permitted to be. That part of the bill takes effect July 1.

People from any state with a permit to carry a concealed weapon will be able to take it into the state capitol after July 1st, too.

“Expanding the freedoms and solidifying the constitutional rights of Iowans should always be a goal for our state whose motto is: ‘Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.’ In fact, an article in yesterday’s Washington Post called this legislation, ‘Iowa’s most expansive gun bill ever.’ Of course, that’s the Washington Post, so” Branstad said, as the crowd around his desk laughed and one person hissed.

Branstad praised two key legislators — Representative Matt Windschitl of Missouri Valley and Senator Dan Dawson — before he used almost two dozen pens to affix his signature to an official copy of the bill.

“These things don’t happen by accident,” Branstad said. “They take, in this case, a long time, and they take a lot of thought and a lot of effort from many people.”

The Gibsons watch Governor Branstad sign the gun bill.

A few parts of the law take effect immediately. The names and addresses of gun permit holders had been public records, but as of today, they’re to be kept private. In addition, children under the age of 14 may now handle a pistol or handgun if they’re supervised by a parent. Natalie and Meredith Gibson of Johnston are 11 and 13 years old. They stood by the governor as he signed the bill and Branstad handed the girls two of the pens he used to sign the bill.

“You’ve been working and lobbying for this for a couple of years, right?” Branstad said, as he spoke with the girls and someone in the crowd said it had been a four-year-long lobbying effort. Branstad replied: “All right! Congratulations. And you’ve got the ‘Brownell Shoots’ (shirts) on, too. All right!”

The family left the capitol, headed to an indoor shooting range in Johnston for midday target practice.

AUDIO of official bill signing ceremony, 9:00

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt, Top Story Tagged With: guns, Hunting & Fishing, Legislature, Terry Branstad

Featured Stories

Congresswoman Axne favors Biden pandemic relief plan, Hinson not ruling out a ‘yes’

DOT plow crews struggling against blizzard conditions

Death penalty proposed for specific child murder cases

Iowa delegation breaks along party lines on Trump impeachment vote

Two northeast Iowa men admit to illegally harvesting ginseng

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

UNI adds two nonconference games to basketball schedule

Iowa State-Kansas postponed

Iowa-Michigan State postponed

Fire damage to Riverfront Stadium electrical system will cost Waterloo thousands

Iowa State at Kansas State postponed

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC