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Iowa "Right to Bear Arms" Amendment (2014)
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| This measure was not put on an election ballot |
| Voting on Firearms |
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| Ballot Measures |
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| Not on ballot |
The Iowa "Right to Bear Arms" Amendment did not make the 2014 ballot in the state of Iowa as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment. The measure would have guaranteed the right to possess and bear arms for residents in the state. According to reports, the language that would be added to the constitution would establish a right to “acquire, keep, possess, transport, carry, transfer and use arms to defend life and liberty and for all other legitimate purposes." The formal title of the proposal in the legislature was House Joint Resolution 2005.[1][2]
HJR 2005 was introduced on January 26, 2012. It ultimately died in chamber.[2]
Text of measure
Full text
The full text of House Joint Resolution 2005 is available here.
Support
- State Representative Erik Helland stated during the 2012 state legislative session: “We’re not protecting fanatical gun owners. We’re standing up and telling the government, ‘This right belongs to the citizens and if you’re going to take it away, you better have a good reason.”[3]
- State Representative Lance Horbach commented on the amendment: “I’m not a gun guy...but I am a freedom guy and every time you talk about restrictions in the laws, you’re talking about the restrictions on good people. Nowhere, nowhere in this amendment does it offer protections for evil.”[3]
Opposition
- State Representative Roger Thomas accused supporters of the measure of pursuing an agenda during the 2012 election year, the year the measure was introduced, stating: "Folks, I think we know what this is all about. This is about campaign contributions. This is about gotchas.”[3]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing ballot measures in Iowa
A majority vote was required, in two successive sessions, of the Iowa General Assembly. HJR 2005 was introduced on January 26, 2012. It ultimately died in chamber.[2]
See also
External links
- Gun Issues in Iowa at Project Vote Smart
- Iowa Politicians on Gun Control at OnTheIssues.org
- Weapon Permits at Iowa.gov
- Chapter 724 Weapons at Legis.Iowa.gov
- Gun Laws in Iowa at Wikipedia
Footnotes
- ↑ Eastern Iowa Government, "Constitutional protections for right to bear arms advances," February 2, 2012 (dead link)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 LegiScan.com, "Iowa House Joint Resolution 2005 (2012)," accessed March 10, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Radio Iowa, "Iowa House endorses strong gun rights proposal," February 29, 2012
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