Iowa Carry permits up 170% this year!

[DanClrk51]

Weapons Permits Spike 170 Percent In Iowa In 2011
The number of Iowans seeking permits to carry handguns and other weapons has increased 170 percent this year.

Published reports reveal that nearly 95,000 Iowans received non-professional weapons permits from January through November.
That's according to data from the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

The surge comes as a new law gives sheriffs less discretion over who can be denied permits.

Numbers from the state's three most populous counties show an even greater surge. The number of permits issued thus far in 2011 has spiked 271 percent in In Polk, Linn and Scott counties.

But Scott County Sheriff Dennis Conard says few problems have emerged despite the increase. Conrad says those who qualify for a permit are not likely to cause trouble.

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http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/Weapons_Permits_Spike_170_Percent_In_Iowa_In_2011_136141748.html?storySection=comments

[LM4202]

That 95,000 in just 11 months dwarfs Nebraska's 15,000, which has been in effect since 2007.  What is it about Iowa?  Do they have less strict requirements?  I know the application is half the price of Nebraska's.  So is it because it's cheaper?  Less strict training requirements? 

[Dan W]

Iowa went from many years of "May issue" permits that had a pent up demand in some areas due to Sheriff's that would not issue permits at all or had a very limited access. The new "Shall Issue" rules obviously have been met  with favor by Iowans

Iowa also has 3 times the population of Nebraska so that is a factor too

[DanClrk51]

Yes, all that is true. And Iowa's permit fee is only $50 whereas its $100 here. Iowa's training requirements are also lower resulting in half the class time so training is much cheaper as well. And yes Nebraska's CHP law is much stricter than Iowa's. Iowa has generally less restrictions than Nebraska and you can carry in more places there. Iowa made MAJOR changes when they switched from "May Issue" to "Shall Issue" permit systems. The may issue permit was only good for 1yr and its good for 5yrs now. Combine all that with the folks that were being denied permits before by 2nd Amendment hating sheriffs and alot more people were issued a permit. Nebraska is also open carry so probably alot of folks on the western end of the state didn't bother with all the trouble it takes to get a NE CHP. Iowa on the other hand does not have open carry unless you have a permit. In Iowa the permit is a "Permit to Carry Weapons", Iowa law does not define open nor concealed carry so you can technically carry open or concealed. Also from the way I read the law, carrying a weapon without permit was only a crime if you did so within city limits, so from what I reckon from reading IOWA law is that you never needed a permit to carry in unincorporated areas.