AmmoLand.com

Iowa Firearms Coalition

IOWA – -(Ammoland.com)- Progress at the Capitol!This has been a busy, busy couple of weeks for IFC, your Iowa NRA Affiliate Club!

We have 3 issues to update you on, a new state added recognition of Iowa’s Permit to Carry, steady progress on the Traditional Ammunition Ban front and most importantly Stand Your Ground legislation is moving forward!

Iowa Permit Now Recognized in Georgia
IFC has been working with NRA, and also with Gary Slider at www.hangunlaw.us, to help get Georgia to recognize Iowa’s Permit to Carry.

Thanks to all parties involved for their efforts. Georgia law was written such that it would recognize states that honored Georgia’s permit, but bureaucracy was getting in the way of making it official. That hurdle has now been overcome!

Your Iowa Permit to Carry is now valid in 27 other states.

Traditional Ammunition Progress
Tuesday, Senate Joint Resolution 2001 passed in the state Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee by a 9 to 3 vote. State Senators Dennis Black (D-21), Dick Dearden (D-34), Joni Ernst (R-48), James Hahn (R-40), Shawn Hamerlinck (R-42), Tom Hancock (D-16), Tim Kapucian (R-20), Brian Schoejahn (D-12) and Kent Sorenson (R-37) voted to pass SJR 2001, while Senators Robert Hogg (D-19), Amanda Ragan (D-7) and Joe Seng (D-43) voted against it.

Today, House Joint Resolution 2001 passed in the state House Natural Resources and Environment Committee by a 17 to 4 vote. State Representatives Henry Rayhons (R-11), Jeff Smith (R-6), Richard Arnold (R-72), Clel Baudler (R-58), Joel Fry (R-95), Mary Gaskill (D-93), Bob Hager (R-16), Chris Hall (D-2), Mark Lofgren (R-80), Steven Lukan (R-32), Jim Lykam (D-85), Helen Miller (D-49), Dan Rasmussen (R-23), Annette Sweeney (R-44), James Van Englehoven (R-71), Guy Vander Linden (R-75), John Wittneben (D-7), while Curtis Hanson (D-90), Dan Kelley (D-41), Sharon Steckman (D-13) and Phyllis Thede (D-81) voted against it.

We will keep you updated and let you know when these bills get scheduled for a floor vote.

Stand Your Ground Progress
Tuesday the House Public Safety Subcommittee passed HF 573 by a 2 to 1 vote. This important piece of “stand your ground” self-defense legislation will now be heard by the full House Public Safety Committee as early as Tuesday of next week.

Representative Matt Windschitl (R-56) has been working on this legislation since 2007. Previously the legislation had struggled largely due to Democratic control in the House. Since the power balance in the House has shifted Rep. Windschitl has worked hard with NRA and IFC on crafting a solid self-defense bill for Iowans.

Please take time to e-mail or call Representative Windschitl and thank him for working with IFC and the NRA. Ensure him that you will be helping get behind his effort to pass this important piece of legislation this year! He has been a strong Second Amendment advocate for the Iowans at the Capitol.IFC will be putting together an action alert on this issue soon, so keep an eye out. It’s your voice from the grassroots that really helps us get things done in Iowa!

About Iowa Firearms Coalition:
The mission of the Iowa Firearms Coalition is to be THE firearms rights organization in Iowa, representing Second Amendment concerns for all firearms owners in the state. We will staunchly defend the rights of hunters and sportsmen as well as the rights of all Iowans to defend themselves and their loved ones. We seek to partner with other like-minded organizations to increase our effectiveness in accomplishing these goals. Visit: www.iowafc.org

Filed under: Ammunition News, Gun Rights News by Ammoland No Comments »

AmmoLand Gun News

COLUMBUS/SANTA FE --(Ammoland.com)- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and New Mexico Department of Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Gorden E. Eden, Jr. have signed an agreement that permits reciprocity between their states for citizens who have valid concealed carry permits.

“I am pleased that this agreement between Ohio and New Mexico will allow Ohioans who have concealed carry permits the same rights to carry a concealed handgun in the State of New Mexico, as well as New Mexicans who have concealed carry permits to do the same in Ohio” said Attorney General DeWine.

Secretary Eden reiterated those remarks. “As proponents of the Second Amendment, the New Mexico Department of Public Safety is happy to extend concealed carry rights to licensed Ohioans, as those same rights are extended to licensed New Mexicans who visit Ohio.”

Ohio law permits the Attorney General to enter into written agreements with other states whose laws are “substantially comparable” to Ohio’s eligibility requirements for a license to carry a concealed handgun. In New Mexico, this authority falls under the New Mexico Department of Public Safety.

New Mexico’s and Ohio’s concealed carry laws are very similar to one another. Both states require a background check for long-term residents of their state or an FBI III check for short-term residents of their states, and both require training in order to be eligible for a concealed carry license.

Concealed carry permit holders will be required to comply with all of the other state’s laws regarding possession, transportation, storage and use of concealed weapons and all other applicable laws except those regarding issuance, suspension, revocation and renewal of concealed weapons licenses, which remain within the power of the issuing state.

Each state will make their verification systems available to the other to be able to check the status of the other state’s concealed carry licenses.

The agreement remains in force unless statutory authority for it is withdrawn by either of the state’s legislatures or terminated in writing by either party upon 30 days notice.

With this signing, Ohio and New Mexico each now have reciprocity agreements with 22 states.

Filed under: Gun Rights News by Ammoland No Comments »