Comment on Iowa governor signs ‘constitutional carry’ into law

DES MOINES — Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed legislation to eliminate a requirement that Iowans obtain a permit to acquire or carry handguns and loosen other state restrictions.House File 756 “protects the Second Amendment rights of Iowa’s law-abiding citizens while still preventing the sale of firearms to criminals and other dangerous individuals,” the governor said in a statement Friday afternoon.The law also takes “greater steps to inform law enforcement about an individual’s mental illness helping ensure firearms don’t end up in the wrong hands,” she said.“We will never be able to outlaw or prevent every single bad actor from getting a gun, but what we can do is ensure law-abiding citizens have full access to their constitutional rights while keeping Iowans safe,” the Osceola Republican said.The bill enacts permit-less “constitutional carry” provisions similar to those in 18 other states that gun rights advocates say will enhance individual rights while removing what sponsor Rep.