“This bill does not address any substantive issue facing the state, solves no current problem, and will not make Iowa a safer state. In fact, it could have just the opposite effect,” said John Johnson, executive director of IPGV. “The NRA and right to carry advocates claim that only “honest, law-abiding citizens” are issued permits to carry weapons. But this is a misconception perpetuated by the gun lobby.”

Unfortunately, even criminal background checks, which are performed by most states, including Iowa, before issuing a permit to carry, cannot be expected to screen out all persons who may commit a gun crime at a future date. The Texas conceal carry law provides a good example. Texas’ conceal carry law is unique in that it requires law enforcement to report to the Texas Department of Public Safety the arrest of any conceal carry permit holder. Between January 1, 1996 and August 31, 2001, Texas conceal carry permit holders were arrested for a total of 5,314 crimes, including murder or attempted murder, kidnapping, rape/sexual assault, assault, weapon-related offenses, drug-related offenses, burglary, and theft. The arrest rate of Texas conceal carry permit holders for weapon-related offenses was 81 percent higher than that of the general population of Texas, age 21 and older.

Kirsten Meredith, IPGV’s communications director said, “The real purpose of this bill is not to benefit Iowans, but to advance the NRA’s national agenda to allow all conceal carry permit holders to carry their weapons across state lines. If this bill becomes law, out-of-state persons visiting Iowa for either pleasure or business, and persons just traveling through Iowa on their way to somewhere else, could carry loaded handguns in Iowa public places and buildings – restaurants, shopping malls, theaters, sports stadiums, hospitals, nursing homes, outdoor parks and amusement parks. Does anyone really believe that this is going to make Iowans better off?”

IPGV noted that HF 2512 gives special consideration to a small minority of the population – the population of conceal carry permit holders. For example, in Iowa about 35 percent of adults own one or more firearms – 59 percent of men and 12 percent of women. But only approximately 1.3 percent of Iowa’s adult population age 21 and older (about 3.6 percent of gun owners) possess a permit to carry. The percentage of conceal carry permit holders in some states may be higher than Iowa and in other states lower. The percentage of conceal carry permit holders for the total U.S. population is not known, but it is pretty safe to say that it is in single digits – probably less than 3 percent.

Said Meredith, “Why would the Iowa legislature even consider legislation that would give special consideration to a very small percentage of nonresidents, but would provide no benefit to Iowa residents? Isn’t it time for lawmakers to consider the wishes of the vast majority of Iowans and Americans that don’t carry concealed weapons in public places, don’t want to carry concealed weapons, and don’t want to sit next to a person in a movie theater who is carrying a loaded handgun? We urge state lawmakers to stand up to the special interests of the gun lobby and reject HF 2512 in the event it comes up for debate in the House or Senate.”