livingston
20×102mm Vulcan
Bill would make it illegal to carry gun in business with sign banning weapons
A Iowa lawmaker has introduced a bill that would make it a crime for people carrying a gun to enter a building that has a sign posted banning dangerous weapons.
Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, said he is sponsoring Senate File 2025 at the request of business owners in Johnson County, intending to protect Iowans who operate bars, restaurants and grocery stores. The measure has drawn opposition from Second Amendment advocates.
"This puts the rights of those business owners on par with the rights of people who carry concealed weapons in Iowa," Bolkcom said. "I just think it is important that the property rights of people are respected. This bill ... would basically level the playing field."
Under current Iowa law, Bolkcom said a person could be charged with trespassing for bringing a firearm into a business where a no-guns sign is posted. But the proposed legislation would not leave any doubt about what is allowed and not allowed, he believes.
"This would basically make it more clear, I think, to firearms owners as well as business owners that business owners have equal rights to make sure their property is without guns if they want to be that way," the senator added.
The legislation would apply to persons carrying a dangerous weapon, whether concealed or not, without express permission, if a sign were posted at the main entrance or the forbidden part of the property. The penalty would be a simple misdemeanor, similar to the existing trespass law.
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/s...gun-business-sign-banning-weapons/1043656001/
A Iowa lawmaker has introduced a bill that would make it a crime for people carrying a gun to enter a building that has a sign posted banning dangerous weapons.
Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, said he is sponsoring Senate File 2025 at the request of business owners in Johnson County, intending to protect Iowans who operate bars, restaurants and grocery stores. The measure has drawn opposition from Second Amendment advocates.
"This puts the rights of those business owners on par with the rights of people who carry concealed weapons in Iowa," Bolkcom said. "I just think it is important that the property rights of people are respected. This bill ... would basically level the playing field."
Under current Iowa law, Bolkcom said a person could be charged with trespassing for bringing a firearm into a business where a no-guns sign is posted. But the proposed legislation would not leave any doubt about what is allowed and not allowed, he believes.
"This would basically make it more clear, I think, to firearms owners as well as business owners that business owners have equal rights to make sure their property is without guns if they want to be that way," the senator added.
The legislation would apply to persons carrying a dangerous weapon, whether concealed or not, without express permission, if a sign were posted at the main entrance or the forbidden part of the property. The penalty would be a simple misdemeanor, similar to the existing trespass law.
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/s...gun-business-sign-banning-weapons/1043656001/
