States that have enacted state laws to restrict possession of semiautomatic assault weapons include the following: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and the District of Columbia.

John Johnson, executive director of IPGV, noted that there is strong public support for restrictions on possession of semiautomatic assault weapons. He pointed to polls conducted in the 12 months leading up to the expiration of the federal assault weapons ban that showed that about 70 percent of all Americans, including a majority of gun owners, supported renewal of the federal law.

Said Johnson, “Americans have said that they don’t want these guns. They don’t want the AK-47s, they don’t want the Uzis, and they don’t want the TEC-DC9s. Americans, especially the nation’s law enforcement officers, deserve a strong and effective assault weapons ban.” Johnson noted that most Iowa lawmakers recognize the threat of assault weapons to the general public and law enforcement and would vote for SF 207 if they are given the opportunity. He challenged the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold a hearing and vote on SF 207. He said he was confident that SF 207 would pass.

“If the Judiciary Committee votes on the assault weapons ban and it fails, then I’ll eat my hat,” said Johnson.

SF 207 would prohibit the possession of assault weapons by defining “semiautomatic assault weapon” as an offensive weapon in section 724.1 of the Iowa Code. Iowa law prohibits possession of offensive weapons (a class “D” felony) by anyone other than law enforcement and other authorized persons. Offensive weapons currently include the following: machine guns, short-barreled rifles or shotguns, any firearm that fires a projectile with a diameter greater than 0.60 inches, bombs, grenades, mines, and other non-explosive weapons.

Persons who lawfully possess assault weapons on the effective date of the law would be allowed to keep their weapons, provided that they obtain a “permit to possess assault weapons” from their county sheriff. The sheriff would be required to issue a permit to anyone who is not prohibited by federal or state law from possessing firearms. Alternatively, a person could remove the assault weapon from Iowa, render the assault weapon permanently inoperable, or take the assault weapon to a law enforcement agency for destruction.

SF 207 is modeled after the 1999 California assault weapons ban, which has proven to be more effective than the expired federal ban.