Bill to lower firearm age limit to 18 advances through the Iowa House

A bill to allow younger Iowans to carry guns advanced through the Iowa House Tuesday. It would lower the age requirement to get a weapons permit from 21 to 18.

A bill to allow younger Iowans to carry guns advanced through the Iowa House Tuesday. It would lower the age requirement to get a weapons permit from 21 to 18.

NOW. A BILL TO ALLOW YOUNGER IOWANS TO CARRY GUNS JUST PASSED THROUGH THE IOWA HOUSE. YEAH, IT WOULD LOWER THE AGE REQUIREMENT TO GET A WEAPONS PERMIT FROM 21 DOWN TO 18. ��vlog CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER JOINS US NOW IN THE STUDIO. AMANDA, THE BILL SPONSOR, SAYS THIS STEMS FROM RECENT COURT RULINGS. THAT’S RIGHT. THE REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE SPONSORING THIS BILL POINTS TO A RECENT U.S. SUPREME COURT RULING AND SOME OTHER DISTRICT COURT RULINGS THAT FOUND SOME RESTRICTIONS ON ADULTS OWNING FIREARMS, INCLUDING AGE RESTRICTIONS, ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL. NOW, RIGHT NOW, STATE LAW REQUIRES IOWANS TO AT LEAST BE 21 YEARS OLD TO GET A PERMIT TO CARRY WEAPONS AND TO OBTAIN PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS. HOUSE FILE 924 WOULD LOWER THAT AGE REQUIREMENT TO 18. NOW, SOME OPPONENTS OF THIS BILL SAY THERE ARE INCREASED DANGERS WHEN LETTING PEOPLE AGES 18 TO 20 POSSESS AND CARRY GUNS. THEY SAY DATA SHOWS THAT DEMOGRAPHIC IS MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT CERTAIN ACTS OF GUN VIOLENCE, BUT SUPPORTERS SAY THE BILL IS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THOSE IOWANS RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS. I CANNOT HELP BUT THINK ABOUT THE YOUNG WOMAN WHO MIGHT BE LIVING ALONE IN AN APARTMENT IN DES MOINES OR DAVENPORT OR SIOUX CITY. SHOULD SHE NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS AND PROTECT HERSELF, OR THE YOUNG HUSBAND AND WIFE BLESSED WITH THEIR FIRST CHILD, SHOULD THEY NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTECT WHAT THEY HOLD DEAR? IN AN AVERAGE YEAR, 343 PEOPLE DIE BY GUN. HERE IN IOWA AND DEATH BY GUN IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG CHILDREN AND TEENS. AND FOR THAT REASON, I’LL BE A NO. TODAY. AND THE BILL PASSED THE IOWA HOUSE IN A 79 TO 18 VOTE.

Bill to lower firearm age limit to 18 advances through the Iowa House

A bill to allow younger Iowans to carry guns advanced through the Iowa House Tuesday. It would lower the age requirement to get a weapons permit from 21 to 18.

A bill to allow younger Iowans to carry guns advanced through the Iowa House Tuesday. It would lower the age requirement to get a weapons permit from 21 to 18.Rep. Steven Holt (R-Denison), who managed the bill on the House floor, pointed to a recent US Supreme Court ruling and other district court rulings that found some restrictions on adults owning firearms, like age restrictions, are unconstitutional.Right now, state law requires Iowans to be at least 21 years old to get a permit to carry weapons and to obtain pistols and revolvers.House File 924 would lower that age requirement to 18.Holt said Iowans ages 18 to 20 should also have their right to bear arms protected."I cannot help but think about the young woman who might be living alone in an apartment in Des Moines or Davenport or Sioux City, should she not have the right to keep and bear arms in order to protect herself?" Holt said. "Or the young husband and wife blessed with their first child, should they not have the right to protect what they hold dear?"Some opponents of the bill said there are increased dangers when letting people ages 18 to 20 possess and carry guns. They also said data shows that demographic is more likely to commit certain acts of gun violence during the bill's subcommittee hearing earlier this month.Rep. Lindsay James (D-Dubuque) spoke in opposition Tuesday."In an average year, 343 people die by gun here in Iowa and death by gun is the second leading cause of death among children and teens," James said. "For that reason, I'll be a no today."The bill passed the Iowa House in a 79-18 vote. It now heads to the Iowa Senate.» Subscribe to ��vlog's YouTube page» Download the free ��vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

DES MOINES, Iowa —

A bill to allow younger Iowans to carry guns advanced through the Iowa House Tuesday. It would lower the age requirement to get a weapons permit from 21 to 18.

Rep. Steven Holt (R-Denison), who managed the bill on the House floor, pointed to a recent US Supreme Court ruling and other district court rulings that found some restrictions on adults owning firearms, like age restrictions, are unconstitutional.

Right now, state law requires Iowans to be at least 21 years old to get a permit to carry weapons and to obtain pistols and revolvers.

House File 924 would lower that age requirement to 18.

Holt said Iowans ages 18 to 20 should also have their right to bear arms protected.

"I cannot help but think about the young woman who might be living alone in an apartment in Des Moines or Davenport or Sioux City, should she not have the right to keep and bear arms in order to protect herself?" Holt said. "Or the young husband and wife blessed with their first child, should they not have the right to protect what they hold dear?"

Some opponents of the bill said there are increased dangers when letting people ages 18 to 20 possess and carry guns. They also said data shows that demographic is more likely to commit certain acts of gun violence during the bill's subcommittee hearing earlier this month.

Rep. Lindsay James (D-Dubuque) spoke in opposition Tuesday.

"In an average year, 343 people die by gun here in Iowa and death by gun is the second leading cause of death among children and teens," James said. "For that reason, I'll be a no today."

The bill passed the Iowa House in a 79-18 vote. It now heads to the Iowa Senate.

» Download the free ��vlog app to get updates on the go: |

����vlog

Bill to lower firearm age limit to 18 advances through the Iowa House

A bill to allow younger Iowans to carry guns advanced through the Iowa House Tuesday. It would lower the age requirement to get a weapons permit from 21 to 18.

Share

Share

Share

Top Picks

��vlog