First of all, don't believe all you hear from the news media. The press has been going bat**** over the law change that went into effect today. They're all hung up on the open carry thing, but none of them bother to mention that open carry, with an Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons (PCW) has always been legal unless your PCW was intentionally restricted to "concealed only" by the issuing sheriff. See, some states have "Concealed Carry Permits," which only allow permit holder to carry concealed. Iowa has a Permit to Carry Weapons, which allows both open and concealed carry of any and all firearms and other items classified as "dangerous weapons" by Iowa law (e.g. knives with 5"+ blades, daggers, tazers, pepper spray, billy clubs, saps, blackjacks, etc...).
Under the old PCW law, a sheriff had complete and arbitrary authority regarding both whether he would or would not issue a PCW, and he could put whatever restrictions he wanted on it (e.g. handgun only, concealed only, only on Tuesdays and Thursdays in even numbered months, whatever...).
The new law makes Iowa "shall issue" statewide, and also removes the local sheriffs authority to restrict permits beyond those restrictions specified by the Iowa Code. So some sheriffs are throwing hissy fits because, since open carry is already legal with a PCW, they can now no longer restrict permit holders from carrying openly. They also no longer can arbitrarily deny applicants who meet all the qualifications under the new law, which also has some of their panties in a bunch. People who have power are loathe to lose it, and this law takes away a lot of discretionary authority away from sheriffs. Now they are really nothing more than issuing agents charged with nothing more than administering and enforcing the law, and some don't like it one bit. I say, to darn bad. It's about time Iowa had one fair and uniform standard for issuance of PCW's, rather than 99 separate mini-fiefdoms ruled by their respective sheriff that would range from fully shall issue to absolutely no-issue.
There are plans in the 2011 Iowa Legislative session to introduce a number of additional pro-2A bills and both a state constitution amendment protecting the right to keep and bear arms (Iowa is one of 6 states that doesn't have a RKBA amendment in the state constitution) including "constitutional carry" ala Alaska and Arizona. There is also a "Castle Doctrine" bill on the agenda (no duty to retreat), and one immunizing folks who legally use force, including lethal force, from civil liability. As it is, Iowa's new PCW law is one of the best in the country, and with success this year, could be even better.
Mike
