‘Monumental’ Iowa gun rights package sent to Gov. Branstad

By Chris Eger

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad is expected to sign a multi-faceted gun reform bill sent to him by lawmakers. (Photo: Republican Governors Association)
An omnibus firearms reform bill including “stand your ground” changes to Iowa law received final passage from the House Thursday and is headed to the governor’s desk.
The measure, HF 517, would strike the duty to retreat from the use of force guidelines in Iowa while bringing a host of other changes to the state’s firearms laws. It passed the Senate earlier this week 33-17 and the House concurred with that body’s changes 57-36 on April 6.
“Iowans deserve their freedoms back,” said bill sponsor Rep. Matt Windschitl before the final House vote. “They deserve their liberties back. And while this is not everything that me personally would like to see advance here today, it is the most monumental piece of Second Amendment legislation this state has ever seen.”
The advancing measure removes the duty to retreat currently enshrined in Iowa’s self-defense statutes on the use of reasonable or deadly force. This so-called “stand your ground” model has been adopted in many conservative states with Florida passing the first of its kind in 2005. Critics contend stand your ground laws turn states

Source: Guns.com