Iowa legislators passed legislation that would allow small children to possess firearms.

The bill passed the Iowa House and is now headed to the state Senate with strong opposition from minority Democrats, according to Iowa Public Radio.

“You’re missing the whole point of the bill,” Republican Jake Highfill told an uneasy Democrat. “I think this is one of the best bills we’ve done for second amendment rights.”

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The bill would allow anyone under the age of 14 to handle handguns under adult supervision, with no age limit.

“We do not need a militia of toddlers,” Democrat Kirsten Running-Marquardt said of the bill. “We do not have handguns that I am aware of that fit the hands of a 1-or-2-year-old.”

Democrat Mary Mascher also pointed out that “Every three hours in this country a child dies from gun violence.”

According to Iowa Public Radio, the Iowa House also passed bills that allow people riding snowmobiles to carry loaded firearms, and also keep weapons permits confidential.

The bills passed in spite of a stream of accidental shootings involving children. On Tuesday, the 12-year-old daughter of an Idaho militiaman was accidentally shot during a meeting and wounded.

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Even the presence of trained adults doesn’t guarantee the prevention of accidents. In 2014, a 9-year-old girl accidentally shot and killed a firearms instructor in Arizona.



Below is a recording of the 911 call from the range where Vacca was shot and killed.