Yesterday, Governor Kim Reynolds signed House File 2502 to protect shooting ranges from being shut down by unreasonable local ordinances and ensure that Second Amendment rights remain protected across the state. On June 18th, she signed House File 716 to improve hunting opportunities in Iowa by defining the types of cartridges that may be used for deer hunting and expanding opportunities for youth hunters to hunt under the supervision of an adult.
House File 2502 protects shooting ranges from onerous or burdensome zoning regulations. Law-abiding citizens utilize shooting ranges to practice marksmanship skills, to ensure that their self-defense and sporting arms are in order, for recreation, and to teach the responsible use of and respect for firearms to others. This critical legislation will protect shooting ranges and the Second Amendment for present and future generations.
Preemption legislation is designed to stop municipalities from creating a patchwork of different laws throughout the state that may potentially turn a law-abiding citizen into a criminal for simply crossing a jurisdictional line. It also ensures that Second Amendment rights are equally protected for all Iowans, regardless of where they reside.
House File 716 clarifies which cartridges are allowed for use in hunting deer by establishing a minimum muzzle energy rather than ambiguous physical characteristics. This will expand hunting opportunities by allowing hunters to use commonly-owned firearms chambered in modern calibers such as those that have been available to American consumers for over a century. In addition, HF 716 ensures that supervised youth hunting is protected throughout Iowa.
Your NRA would like to thank Gov. Reynolds for signing these important bills into law and the lawmakers who supported them.