Yesterday, Senate File 456 passed on the floor of the state House by a vote of 98 to 0 and will now move to Governor Terry Branstad’s (R) desk for his approval. SF 456 is designed to improve the language under last sessions "shall-issue" law and allow Iowa state law to meet the requirements set forth in the federal NICS Improvement Amendments Act (NIAA) of 2007.
People who have been placed under certain types of mental health-related orders are prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms. The NIAA established clear standards for states to use in crafting laws to give persons subject to these prohibitions a means of relief. This legislation, under the guidelines established by the NIAA, would allow a court to grant relief from the federal prohibition upon a finding that the petitioner will not be likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety and that the granting of the relief would not be contrary to the public interest. Of note, SF 456, for the first time in Iowa history, provides a path for Iowans, including military service members and veterans, to have their gun rights restored.
Please contact Governor Branstad TODAY and respectfully urge him to sign SF 456 into law.
Governor Terry Branstad
To email the Governor click here.