William Petroski

bpetrosk@dmreg.com

As the Iowa Legislature nears final action on a bill expanding the rights of gun owners, a gun safety organization is urging lawmakers to amend controversial provisions of the measure or to have Gov. Terry Branstad veto the entire measure.

Iowans for Gun Safety, headed by Carletta Knox Seymour, a Cedar Rapids businesswoman, held a news conference Monday at the Iowa Capitol to oppose some key provisions of House File 517, which could be debated in the Senate as early as Tuesday.

More: What's alive, dead, passed as Iowa Legislature enters home stretch

The advocates are especially concerned about a "Stand-Your-Ground" provision that says a law-abiding person does not have a duty to retreat before using deadly force. They are also opposed to allowing children to possess a pistol or revolver while under direct supervision of a parent or guardian who is at least 21 years old. In addition, they urged lawmakers to remove a section that prohibits local governments from adopting gun regulations. They also called for requiring an annual criminal history check for persons issued permits to acquire weapons and permits to carry weapons.

Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs, the Senate floor manager of the gun bill, said Monday he hadn't had time to study the statement issued by Iowans for Gun Safety, but he believes House File 517 and gun rights are a priority for the 2017 legislative session. "We are going to proceed" and respect the wishes of Iowa voters who supported firearms issues in November's election, he said. The "Stand-Your-Ground" provisions are at the core of the bill, he added.

The Rev. Erin Gingrich, a Unitarian minister from Des Moines, pointed to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that shows Florida’s gun deaths have increased 31 percent since Stand Your Ground legislation was enacted in 2005. In particular, she raised concerns the provisions could lead to the deaths of black people because of racial bias by white people making split-second decisions to shoot them.

"All life is a sacred gift. We must not legislate evil," Gingrich said.

Dr. Amy Shriver, a Des Moines pediatrician, expressed concerns that allowing young children to use handguns will lead to a needless increase in firearms injuries and deaths. While some children are capable of using handguns, many lack the physical coordination and brain development to safely handle such weapons, she said.

The most effective solution is to reduce children's access to firearms, but the legislation would achieve the opposite, Shriver said.

Knox Seymour, who is president of Iowans for Gun Safety, said she believes human rights are secondary to gun rights under the proposed legislation. Reasonable restrictions on gun rights are appropriate when paired with the need to overcome gun violence, she said. If all else fails, Knox Seymour said gun safety advocates will make their case to Branstad in asking for a veto of the bill, she said.