House Study Bill 199 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY BILL BY CHAIRPERSON VONDRAN) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the conveyance of firearms in or on certain 1 vehicles. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2799YC (1) 91 sb/js
H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 321G.13, subsection 2, Code 2025, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 2. a. A person shall not operate or ride a snowmobile with 3 a firearm in the persons possession unless it is unloaded and 4 enclosed in a carrying case, except as otherwise provided. 5 However, a nonambulatory person may carry an uncased and 6 unloaded firearm while operating or riding a snowmobile. 7 b. (1) A person may operate or ride a snowmobile with a 8 loaded firearm, whether concealed or not, without a permit to 9 carry weapons, if the person operates or rides on land owned, 10 possessed, or rented by the person and the persons conduct is 11 otherwise lawful. 12 (2) A person may operate or ride a snowmobile with a loaded 13 pistol or revolver, whether concealed or not, if the person is 14 operating or riding the snowmobile on land that is not owned, 15 possessed, or rented by the person, and the persons conduct is 16 otherwise lawful. 17 c. A person shall not discharge a firearm while on a 18 snowmobile, except that a nonambulatory person may discharge a 19 firearm from a snowmobile while lawfully hunting if the person 20 is not operating or riding a moving snowmobile. 21 Sec. 2. Section 321I.14, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 22 to read as follows: 23 2. a. A person shall not operate or ride an all-terrain 24 vehicle with a firearm in the persons possession unless it is 25 unloaded and enclosed in a carrying case, except as otherwise 26 provided. However, a nonambulatory person may carry an uncased 27 and unloaded firearm while operating or riding an all-terrain 28 vehicle. 29 b. (1) A person may operate or ride an all-terrain vehicle 30 with a loaded firearm, whether concealed or not, without a 31 permit to carry weapons, if the person operates or rides on 32 land owned, possessed, or rented by the person and the persons 33 conduct is otherwise lawful. 34 (2) A person may operate or ride an all-terrain vehicle with 35 -1- LSB 2799YC (1) 91 sb/js 1/ 3
H.F. _____ a loaded pistol or revolver, whether concealed or not, if the 1 person is operating or riding the all-terrain vehicle on land 2 that is not owned, possessed, or rented by the person, and the 3 persons conduct is otherwise lawful. 4 c. A person shall not discharge a firearm while on an 5 all-terrain vehicle, except that a nonambulatory person may 6 discharge a firearm from an all-terrain vehicle while lawfully 7 hunting if the person is not operating or riding a moving 8 all-terrain vehicle. 9 Sec. 3. Section 805.8B, subsection 3, paragraph q, Code 10 2025, is amended by striking the paragraph. 11 Sec. 4. REPEAL. Section 483A.36, Code 2025, is repealed. 12 EXPLANATION 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 14 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 15 This bill relates to the conveyance of firearms in or on 16 certain vehicles. 17 Current law prohibits a person from operating or riding a 18 snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle with a loaded firearm in the 19 persons possession unless the person is operating or riding 20 the snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle on land that is owned, 21 possessed, or rented by the person, and the persons conduct is 22 otherwise lawful. Additionally, a person may operate or ride 23 a snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle with a loaded pistol or 24 revolver on land that is not owned, possessed, or rented by the 25 person, if the persons conduct is otherwise lawful. The bill 26 strikes these prohibitions and exceptions. 27 Unless otherwise permitted by law, current law generally 28 prohibits a person from having or carrying a gun in or on a 29 vehicle on a public highway unless the gun is taken down or 30 totally contained in a fastened case and with its barrels and 31 attached magazines unloaded. A person conveying an assembled, 32 unloaded gun is subject to a scheduled fine of $35. A person 33 conveying a loaded gun is subject to a scheduled fine of $70. 34 The bill repeals the prohibition and strikes the associated 35 -2- LSB 2799YC (1) 91 sb/js 2/ 3
H.F. _____ scheduled fines. 1 -3- LSB 2799YC (1) 91 sb/js 3/ 3