DES MOINES, IOWA (March 13, 2019) — The Iowa chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today released the following statement after the Iowa House and Senate each passed a “strict scrutiny” constitutional amendment that — if signed by the governor and enacted through a 2021 ballot initiative — could undermine core Iowa gun laws like:
- Iowa’s permit requirement for carrying a concealed handgun; and
- Iowa’s background check requirement for all handgun sales.
“Only three states have enacted strict scrutiny amendments, and Iowa should not be the fourth,” said Katie Albrecht, volunteer chapter-leader with the Iowa chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “This is designed to undermine to Iowa’s reasonable public safety laws, and it would be a truly extreme change to our constitution. The legal text matters here, and the truth is that the language in this amendment poses a direct threat to Iowa public safety laws that keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them.” Only 3 states have adopted “strict scrutiny” amendments, which are designed to undermine state and local public-safety laws and threaten even the most basic laws that keep guns out of the hands of felons and domestic-abusers. Prior to 2012, no states had enacted a strict-scrutiny law. Adding this extreme language to Iowa’s constitution could undermine core state-gun laws, including Iowa’s handgun background-check law and concealed-carry permitting system. A recent poll of more than 1,200 registered voters available here, conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, found:
- By a nearly 2-to-1 margin, more voters oppose a proposed “strict scrutiny” constitutional amendment than support it. After the potential implications of the amendment were explained, 54% of Iowa voters indicated opposition to the proposal, compared to just 28% indicating support.
- 90% of Iowa gun owners support the permit requirement for carrying concealed handguns in public, and 92% of Iowa gun owners support the state’s background check requirement for all handgun sales.
- The overwhelming majority of both Democrats and Republicans support Iowa’s concealed handgun permit and background check laws.
About Everytown for Gun Safety
Everytown is the largest gun violence-prevention organization in the country with more than 5 million supporters and more than 350,000 donors including moms, mayors, survivors, and everyday Americans who are fighting for public safety-measures that can help save lives. At the core of Everytown are Mayors against Illegal Guns, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, Students Demand Action, and the Everytown Survivor Network. Learn more at www.everytown.org and follow us @Everytown.
About Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is a grassroots movement of Americans fighting for public-safety measures that can protect people from gun-violence. Moms Demand Action campaigns for new and stronger solutions to lax gun-laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our families. Moms Demand Action has established a chapter in every state of the country and, along with Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Students Demand Action. and the Everytown Survivor Network, it is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence-prevention organization in the country with more than 5 million supporters and more than 350,000 donors. For more information or to get involved visit www.momsdemandaction.org. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MomsDemandAction or on Twitter at @MomsDemand.
