General Categories > Laws and Legislation
Let's get the NFOA behind this effort in Iowa!
Dan W:
http://www.iowacarry.org/index.php
Whom do you want carrying guns in Iowa?
Today in Iowa, the bad guys are already carrying weapons, but law-abiding citizens can legally be denied the right to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Arm Yourself With The Facts
Under Chapter 724.7 of the Iowa Code, a law abiding resident who desires to carry a concealed weapon must apply for a Permit to Carry Weapons to the sheriff of the county where they reside. The decision to issue a permit is made solely at the personal discretion of that county?s Sheriff.
At first glance, this seems reasonable. If you have a valid reason for carrying a weapon, you can get a permit, correct? Not necessarily.
Under current law and practice, any Sheriff may arbitrarily deny any applicant this right. Many do just that. The word ?may? in Chapter 724.7 above is the operative word. You may get your permit, or you may not!
There are literally 99 different issue policies in the state - one for each county Sheriff.
Even more appalling is the fact that those who are fortunate enough to be issued a permit in their home county (like Cedar, Jones, and Polk) may legally carry their weapon anywhere in the state - even in counties where a sheriff may issue no permits (like Dubuque, Emmet and Buena Vista) and the citizens who live there cannot exercise their right to self-defense outside of the home! Why is it OK for a citizen in Jones county who receives a permit be denied that same permit if he moves to Dubuque county? What changed other than a mailing address?
As it stands, Iowa Chapter 724.7 is a patently unfair and inequitable law. The concept of ?equal protection under the law? from the 14th Amendment to our U.S. Constitution immediately comes to mind.
It strikes most folks as unfair & unlikely for similar individuals to be treated differently when it comes to our rights under Iowa law. Yet records at the Iowa Department of Public Safety reveal that this is exactly what is happening with respect to issuing permits to carry weapons. The county map page shows the relative level of difficulty for a law-abiding citizen to be issued a permit depending only upon which county they live.
bkoenig:
Does Iowa have a counterpart to the NFOA?
Chris Z:
www.iowacarry.org
Roper:
how can citizens from outside the state help?
Chris Z:
I joined their organization. http://www.iowacarry.org/files/Membership%20Form.pdf
I think a little financial support helps. Its hard for a non resident though to spend time contacting their elected representatives... Not sure they really listen.
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