Iowa is now a "Shall Issue State".

[P&R Fan]

According to local news reports our (democrat) Governor signed legislation this morning changing Iowa from a "may issue" state to "shall issue". I have read that reciprocity with other states will be included in this if they have equal or stricter training standards. To my knowledge those issues still need to be ironed out, but we'll keep you posted.
Previously in Iowa if you lived in a county with a Sheriff that didn't like guns, you couldn't get a permit. Others, like the one I have lived in all my life had no problems issuing them. Now, unless you are barred by law from owning a gun, they can't turn you down if you pass the background check, the written test and the shooting test. As more details emerge I'll share them.
The law is set to go into effect Jan. 1, 2011.

 

[ENGINE18]

Good job, Iowa!

 

[snowman]

Good. Now take note of all the legislators who voted against the change, and work for their ouster from office ASAP. "May issue", in my view, is one of the most unAmerican procedures in existence.

Andy

 

[Dueeast]

Great news! Here in NJ, we are supposed to be "may issue" which essentially means NO issue! I hope one day we can turn it around, but it's like fighting the tide. I'll move out of jersey 1st.

 

[flop-shank]

Good. Now take note of all the legislators who voted against the change, and work for their ouster from office ASAP. "May issue", in my view, is one of the most unAmerican procedures in existence.

+1 and congrats to Iowans!

 

[RetLawman590]

Great news! Here in NJ, we are supposed to be "may issue" which essentially means NO issue! I hope one day we can turn it around, but it's like fighting the tide. I'll move out of jersey 1st.

That's basically the same her here in NY, except north of Westchester and Rockland Counties. If I wasn't a retired LEO, I would not be carrying.

 

[P&R Fan]

No news yet on reciprocity agreements, other than there will be some, but I wanted to share comments making the rounds. A Sheriff of a very liberal county was quoted on a local TV station as saying now permit holders won't have to conceal their guns, and LE will be getting calls about people in restaurants with a gun sticking out of their pocket. To my knowledge there is no change with this law as to open carry, which is illegal in Iowa now. The Sheriffs that are anti gun don't like to lose this power to decide who carries legally and who doesn't. The good ones, like the one where I live, approve a large number of them. The anti gun ones often don't give ANY except to LE. They are telling us we're going to have lots of contacts with people carrying guns now in our day to day lives. Well, I've been doing it for 25 years, and nobody has ever known, except one criminal one night. The anti gunners see their power slipping away, and they don't like it.

 

[bigt5150]

Congratulations to all Iowa residents!

 

[sipowicz]

In your face England!