Lawmaker Wants Gun Rights Added To Iowa Constitution

kcci.com ^ | 2 February, 2012 | NA

[marktwain]

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Does Iowa need a constitutional amendment to protect the right to bear arms?

Iowa is one of six states with a constitution that does not provide gun rights to its citizens.

There are laws in place that give Iowans the right to bear arms, but some lawmakers feel that's not enough. They're proposing to add an amendment to the Iowa Constitution.

It states, “The right of an individual to acquire, keep, possess, transport, carry, transfer, and use arms to defend life and liberty and for all other legitimate purposes is fundamental and shall not be infringed upon or denied.”

The amendment was approved Thursday by a House committee.

State Rep. Clel Baudler is the author of the bill. He said it would not change Iowa law and would not give gun permits to those not qualified.

“Not a felon, not a domestic abuser, not addition to drugs or alcohol,” said Baudler.

The proposal to amend the state constitution would give Iowa the toughest defense of gun rights in the U.S.

“This is to further protect Iowans in case of a Supreme Court ruling that could jeopardize at the federal level,” said Rep. Mark Brandenburg.

But some feel the laws Iowa already has in place are enough to protect Second Amendment rights.

“People have a right now to bear arms. If someone comes into my home, I can protect myself,” said Rep. Deborah Berry. “But I think we have to be real cautious when we want to amend the state’s constitution.”

[marktwain]

Good for Iowa. Wisconsin had to go through a similar, arduous, process, but ended with an excellent amendment that passed the referendum by 79 percent.

This amendment looks very good.

[Tainan]

I'd add 'manufacture' to that list....but that's just me...;)

Good Luck!

[Gene Eric]

>> But some feel the laws Iowa already has in place are enough to protect Second Amendment rights.

Why does a State need to protect the 2nd Amendment? If anything, the State should generally be held in contempt thereof.

[DaveA37]

GO IOWA!

Lets see if you are really “Hawks”.

[Svartalfiar]

State Rep. Clel Baudler is the author of the bill. He said it would not change Iowa law and would not give gun permits to those not qualified.

The way I read this, the Constitution specifically says that the right to carry cannot be denied or infringed, so that should mean any CHL laws are no longer necessary. People can still apply for a permit if they want one, but you don't need one to carry.

[El Gato]

Iowa is one of six states with a constitution that does not provide gun rights to its citizens

Constitutions, state or federal, do not "provide" rights. They may protect them, or not, but they do not provide them.

In the words of the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness

Arms help protect life, and liberty thus allowing for the pursuit of happiness. Just owning arms makes me happy. Jefferson, who wrote those words, felt much the same.

"One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them."
-- Letter to George Washington, 1796. ME 9:341,

[El Gato]

This amendment looks very good.

It's similar to Nebraska's.

All persons are by nature free and independent, and have certain inherent and inalienable rights; among these are life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the right to keep and bear arms for security or defense of self, family, home, and others, and for lawful common defense, hunting, recreational use, and all other lawful purposes, and such rights shall not be denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof.

That was added by initiative, that is directly by the people, in 1988.

Didn't have any effect on existing laws, many of which were in clear violation of both "keep and "bear" for defense of self and family. It was like the Constitution had never been changed as far as the courts were concerned. Only much later when the legislature passed concealed carry and other items, were people actually able to "bear arms" in any effective way in some cities. With permission of the state of course.

[marktwain]

Wisconsin’s constitutional amendment, which is quite similar, had some effect. Wisconsin elects its supreme court judges, and there were enough “conservative” ones that they could not simply ignore the Constitution, as the liberals wanted them to. They weaseled, though, and set the stage for last years legislative win.

Sure, we have to rid the courts of the corrupt judges as well, but we can do so. Never give up.

We are winning.