HJR 2005 and HF 2114 were debated in the House Public Safety Committee (PSC) today. Unfortunately for gun owners in Iowa, the true intent of both of these pieces of legislation was evidently lost on the Chairman of the committee. Representative Clel Baudler sided with the Democrat members of the committee, and both bills were watered down to the point of being useless.
HJR 2005 was intended to add the right to keep and bear arms to the Iowa Constitution. Taking into account all of the challenges that the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution has faced over the years, the wording of HJR 2005 was specifically crafted to remove any or all ambiguities over the right for citizens to keep and carry firearms. But members of the PSC didn't seem to understand that the founding fathers did not intend to have the Bill of Rights be applicable to the States. Each State was supposed to create their own Constitution with the rights of their citizens protected within. Representative Rick Olson offered an amendment to HJR 2005 that strikes the current language and replaces it with a near mirror image of the current US Constitution Second Amendment. Reportedly, the amendment removes any reference to a militia or having the right as a necessity of keeping a free state. HJR 2005 passed out of the committee with only one dissenting vote, with the understanding that it would be amended on the House floor, or it would be killed.
HF 2114 was intended to remove the patchwork of preemption violations that localities created in 2011 when many of them passed rules and ordinances prohibiting firearms on government property. Once again, Representative Rick Olson lead the charge by the anti-gun / anti-rights side, and first offered an amendment that would add city halls, courthouses, and public hospitals (and all of their grounds) to the “schools” prohibition. This would essentially make carrying firearms on any of those properties a Class D felony! That was withdrawn and replaced with an amendment that leaves preemption in place with the exception of those locations and includes a the ability to prohibit not only firearms but ammunition and firearms accessories (think empty holsters on your belts). And, the localities could set their own penalties for violations. In the end, HF 2114 passed out of committee with only two dissenting votes, and again, the plan is to make changes when it comes up for a vote on the House floor.
This is a clear example of two things.
First, the Republican party just doesn't know how to lead. They have the majority of the PSC, yet Representative Baudler appears unable or unwilling to stand up for his party, and more importantly, for the citizens of Iowa who are looking for his help in pushing through legislation that will restore the rights that other administrations have restricted. Representatives Windschitl, Shaw, Brandenburg, Alons, and Hagenow, just to name a few, cannot do this alone. They need the Chairman of the PSC to act like a leader and not kowtow to the whims of the anti-gun / anti-rights side. Which, in essence, is exactly what Representative Baudler did today. Of course, when something like this happens, he likes to use the excuse that he “cannot get the votes” to pass the piece of legislation through. This excuse is exactly that – just an excuse. He has the power, and the responsibility, to advance or stifle any piece of legislation in the committee. Doing so would put the members of the committee on record for their support (or lack thereof) of your rights. But he will not do that, and instead, opts to hide behind excuses. This is not indicative of a leader.
Secondly, and more importantly, this shows that Representative Baudler is not a friend to firearms owners. He speaks about his love of firearms and his desire to protect the firearms rights of Iowa citizens, but by turning his back on these two important pieces of legislation, he has shown his true colors. He does not believe, in his heart, that anyone who is a law abiding Iowan needs or deserves to have their firearms rights protected. In fact, Representative Baudler has in the past said that our firearms rights need to be balanced with public safety. Those are two diametrically opposed ideas. The moment rights become restricted in the name of public safety, everything our Constitution stands for is trampled upon.
Up until today, there were certain members of the PSC that were known enemies of Iowans who want to exercise their fundamental rights of firearms ownership, carrying, and self-defense. Representatives Abdul-Samad, Berry, Gaines, Kressig, Rick Olson, and Wolfe have traditionally opposed nearly every attempt to restore the right to keep and bear arms to Iowans. After today, it is apparent that Representative Baudler is someone that gun owners can no longer trust to protect their rights.
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