In just a few months, the first of Joe Biden’s executive actions attacking our gun rights may very well become official as the ATF is working to regulate pistol braces just like they do with machine guns.
Of course, IGO has been sounding the alarm on this for a long time, and if you haven’t left your public comment opposing this garbage on the ATF’s website, make sure you do so today!
But if this regulation does become official, this will be just the first of many executive orders that Biden will try to enact to advance a gun control agenda that is getting bogged down in Congress.
That’s why IT’S VITAL that Iowa lawmakers pass the Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA) next session, to protect our freedoms here in Iowa!
As you may already know, SAPA legislation would nullify federal gun control laws here in Iowa by requiring Iowa city cops, sheriff’s deputies, and state troopers to ONLY enforce Iowa law when it comes to firearms, ammunition, and accessories.
And this concept is no longer just a theory.
Last Saturday our sister organization, the Missouri Firearms Coalition, successfully passed this legislation into law when Governor Mike Parson signed it at a ceremony in Lee’s Summit.
Having aided the Missouri Firearms Coalition as their Political Director for years, I was heavily involved in this fight and was honored to be present for the bill signing ceremony on behalf of MOFC members.
(As the Political Director for the Missouri Firearms Coalition, I had the pleasure of being on hand for the signing of the Second Amendment Preservation Act in Missouri last weekend, the nation’s strongest SAPA bill to date! Now, it’s Iowa’s turn!)
While multiple states claim to have passed SAPA this year, not a single one of them has ANY enforcement mechanism! Most of them are do-nothing generalisms that make politicians sound tough, while doing nothing for gun owners in their state.
Not Missouri’s new SAPA law.
What makes Missouri’s law special is the fact that if a department head in the state chooses to ignore SAPA law and enforce a federal gun control statute — that department can be civilly sued by the individual gun owner!
What’s more, the fine for a violation of SAPA law is $50,000 per occurrence! This all but guarantees that an anti-gun police department (think Des Moines PD) will be forced to stand down!
(MOFC’s Political Director Aaron Dorr testifying in committee, ensuring that the Second Amendment Preservation Act which became law in Missouri last Saturday had real teeth!)
This legislation is based on the anti-commandeering or federalism doctrine which states that the federal government may not simply ‘commandeer’ the state’s legislative process and force its agenda on the states.
What’s more, the Supreme Court has upheld this idea for hundreds of years. Consider the following examples:
>>> In its 2018 Murphy v NCAA decision, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the fact that the state legislature in New Jersey had the right to place restrictions on sports gambling, even though the new state law contradicted federal law.
>>> In the 2012 ObamaCare case (NFIB v Sebelius,) the Supreme Court cited the anti-commandeering doctrine again, as they affirmed the states’ right to refuse to expand Medicare.
>>> In its 1997 New York v United States decision, the Supreme Court stated that the federal government could not simply force New York State to dispose of radio active waste in violation of a state law that prohibited it.
>>> In its 1997 Printz v United States decision, the Supreme Court agreed with Sheriffs Jay Printz and Richard Mack that they could not be forced to enforce the Brady Gun Control bill.
>>> And in its 1842 Prigg v Pennsylvania decision, the Supreme Court held that the federal government could not simply force the states to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793.
So it’s clear that the State of Iowa has the legal right to enact SAPA legislation, the only question is whether or not they have the political will power to do it.
This legislation (House File 518) was filed early this session by State Representative Jeff Shipley, but died in the Public Safety Committee.
But now that the fight for Constitutional Carry is over, it’s high time that the legislature take action on SAPA, before Joe Biden can do any more damage to our gun rights!
(Missouri Governor Mike Parson presenting me with the SIGNED COPY of the Second Amendment Preservation Act last weekend. Iowa lawmakers need to follow suit, right away!)
I fully expect opposition to this legislation from all sides.
Afterall, the tired, old and broke Iowa Firearms Coalition (the NRA’s affiliate) has officially registered as ‘undecided’ on the Second Amendment Preservation Act. In political speak, that means they are a ‘HELL NO’ — but are too afraid to say it out loud.
And in our successful fight in Missouri, not a single national gun rights organization lifted a finger to advance this legislation.
Not the NRA, not GOA, not FPC, no one.
(SAPA lead sponsors Rep. Jered Taylor and Sen. Eric Burlison, along with myself, celebrating the passage of the nation’s strongest Second Amendment Preservation Act last weekend!)
Iowa Gun Owners’ members are used to fighting — and winning — on our own. But we can’t wait for January to begin this fight.
So sign your petition in support of the Second Amendment Preservation Act NOW!
And then, I hope you’ll dig deep and make a major donation to help us educate massive numbers of gun owners about the Second Amendment Preservation Act, while we also start applying pressure to the legislature.
Donate to help us pass the Second Amendment Preservation Act here in Iowa!
Missouri lawmakers have blazed the trail, it’s time the politicians in Iowa get on board!
For Freedom,
Aaron Dorr
Chairman
Iowa Gun Owners
P.S. Missouri just passed the nation’s strongest Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA,) which means that Biden’s war on gun owners will NOT be enforced by state officials in Missouri!
Having helped direct this fight for the Missouri Firearms Coalition since the beginning, I know how badly Iowa needs this legislation. Read the email above for more details on SAPA law.
>>> Sign your petition in support of SAPA law for Iowa NOW! <<<
>>> Make a donation to help IGO pass SAPA law in Iowa HERE! <<<