Posted on 04/20/2010 8:48:19 AM PDT by neverdem
Before Iowans apply for a permit to pocket a gun -- they have to find out whether the governor plans a pocket veto.
Last month, the Legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill that would require sheriffs to issue a concealed-weapon permit to anyone who legally qualifies, stripping away the sheriff's discretion to reject applicants. However, lawmakers sent the bill to the governor within the last three days of session, invoking the pocket veto option. If the governor does not sign the bill within 30 days of passage, he kills the bill.
Gov. Chet Culver, a Democrat, has 11 days left to decide. A spokeswoman said the bill still is "under consideration."
Under current law, sheriffs "may" issue a permit to applicants based on their own discretion. The law would change the word to "shall," so sheriffs would have to issue permits unless the law bars the applicant from carrying a gun. Gun-rights advocates celebrated the passage of the bill, saying that the bill would create a fairer system, without the current geographic disparity in permit issuance. Law enforcement groups did not jump on board with the proposal.
Jamie Smith, a Dubuque resident and Iowa Carry board member, said he was thrilled that so many Democrats voted to pass the bill. In both chambers, there were just 20 opposing votes.
"You'd be surprised, there are more pro-Second Amendment Democrats than you'd think out there," Smith said.
State Rep. Tom Schueller, D-Maquoketa, was one of 16 House members to vote against the bill. Schueller said he doesn't oppose gun rights, but he was frustrated by the process of the bill. It popped up suddenly, without the time for law enforcement agencies to propose changes, he said.
"If it had come through the system and everybody would have been content with it, I would have supported it," he said.
Schueller said he thinks the Democratic leadership might have been trying to garner support from gun-rights advocates such as the National Rifle Association, but he doubts it will pay off.
"Here's my spin on it: the NRA is Republican, the NRA has been Republican forever, the NRA never votes Democrat. And if Gov. Culver thinks they're going to start voting Democrat, I've got some swamp land I can sell him," Schueller said.
Smith said that even if the governor doesn't sign the bill, he thinks that the Legislature will take it up again.
"Regardless of what Culver does, it's going to happen eventually," he said.
Here's an interesting contrast. Will Governor Culver of Iowa balk on concealed carry privilege when Arizona just recognized a concealed carry right? Will Culver make the GOP's day on Election Day?
I bet this silly bass turd had no problem with the closed-door Obummercare 'process'.
I hope the governor signs this bill to take away the improper discretion given the sheriffs to allow or disallow a constitutional right. How did this concept even be allowed to develop?
Would we have Sheriffs approve the exercise of free speech?
Well, sure, he's toast in November regardless of what he does with this but, if he vetoes this, he's really toast.
Regardless, the more I think about it, this whole permit thing is crap.
If the people of Iowa want to regulate concealed carry via permits, the people of each county might as well be able to elect a sheriff whose permit philosophy they like.
It is interesting though. Culver seems determined to sink himself.
Thankfully, when a person decides nothing else is going to work, he still has the option of moving somewhere more to his liking.
i think he is toast anyway in november.
I live in the NE part of iowa, which tends to be more lefty than some other area of the state, and even the people here are steaming mad at the cabal in washington, and des moines will pay the price in the fall.
Should be interesting.
Last month, the Legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill that would require sheriffs to issue a concealed-weapon permit to anyone who legally qualifies, stripping away the sheriff's discretion to reject applicants. However, lawmakers sent the bill to the governor within the last three days of session, invoking the pocket veto option. If the governor does not sign the bill within 30 days of passage, he kills the bill. Gov. Chet Culver, a Democrat, has 11 days left to decide.Thanks neverdem.
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