On Wednesday April 12, despite strong opposition (especially from Rep. J.D. Scholten who lost a close friend to gun violence at an off campus event many years ago), the Iowa House of Representatives passed legislation that will weaken public safety on K-12 and college and university campuses across the state. Please take action after the background section below.

Here’s an excerpt of what Rep. Scholten said on the floor:

“So a bill like this, that allows more guns on state university properties, what could go wrong? Lastly, I have to give credit where credit is due. This bill, the level of not giving shit is impressive.”


BACKGROUND

Key components of SF 543:

  • Allows people who have valid concealed carry permits to keep guns on them on K-12 school property, but outside the school building itself, as long as the firearms are not visible in school parking lots or driveways when picking up or dropping off a child at school;
  • Allows schools to authorize “a person” to carry, transport, or possess a firearm or ammunition in a school vehicle
  • Prohibits Iowa’s regents, universities or community colleges from implementing policies barring people from bringing dangerous weapons on campus if those weapons are stored in a locked vehicle and out of plain sight.

Note: the theft of firearms stored in cars is at an all time high. These stolen guns are subsequently finding their way back to the streets via illegal gun markets.(1)

TAKE ACTION

>>> Click here and tell your Iowa State Senator that you oppose adding more guns to the state’s K-12 and public college locations.

Look for updates from The Campaign about this bill and thanks for taking action today to support safe educational environments.

Thanks for all you do,

Andy Pelosi, Executive Director
The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus

1)https://everytownresearch.org/gun-thefts-from-cars-the-largest-source-of-stolen-guns/