Linda Schreiber is a member of the League of Women Voters of Johnson County.
The League of Women Voters of Johnson County will host a virtual program, “Understanding the Proposed ‘Right to Firearms’ Amendment,” on Thursday, April 21, at 7 p.m. This program, planned by the LWVJC Education Committee, will address the proposed amendment to the Iowa Constitution that will appear on the ballot in November. The language needs a simple majority of “yes” votes to be added to the constitution.
Temple Hiatt, a longtime gun violence prevention advocate and activist, will address the proposed amendment. She is a veteran of the Persian Gulf War and a member of the Iowa City community for over 40 years. Temple’s personal experience of gun suicide by a family member informs her understanding of the sensible steps that we can take to prevent gun violence.
The public may register for the Zoom Webinar in advance at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pllYxw5KTpOlBfxhn_V-oQ. After registering, a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar will be sent.
The proposed language of the constitutional amendment reads:
The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The sovereign state of Iowa affirms and recognizes this right to be a fundamental individual right. Any and all restrictions of this right shall be subject to strict scrutiny.
It is vital that voters understand the meaning of “strict scrutiny” and the implications now and in the future for sensible gun laws in our state. (Editor’s note: Iowa Democratic lawmakers tried without success to propose a state equivalent to the Second Amendment without the “strict scrutiny” language.)
Republican lawmakers passed the Keep and Bear Arms amendment in 2018 and again in 2019, but a bureaucratic error prevented the proposal from appearing on ballots in 2020. In order to amend the state constitution, a proposal must be approved by both chambers in two consecutive general assemblies.
The program will offer historical data about gun violence in Iowa, a reading of the actual amendment and legal ramifications, and information about the consequences of similar amendments passed in other states.
LWVJC Education Committee chair Barb Stein will introduce the program. League members Gaylen Wobeter and Anne Spencer will moderate the online discussion.
Iowa City’s City Channel 4 will live stream the presentation on the League’s Facebook page, and website, lwvjc.org, and the City Channel 4 YouTube channel. Rebroadcasts of the presentation will be offered on City Channel 4 on Mediacom cable, as well as on their website at citychannel4.com. Check their website for program schedules.
Bleeding Heartland welcomes announcements of upcoming events, especially those accessible to a statewide audience. Please contact Laura Belin if you are interested in writing.