A pair of bills moving forward at the Statehouse would allow people with weapon permits to have guns on school property.
The House bill (HF 621) would allow weapon permit-holders to have handguns in their cars when they’re picking up or dropping a student off at school.
The Senate bill (SF 2263) would allow guns outside of cars in school parking lots and driveways. It would also shield schools from lawsuits related to firearms on school property.
Rep. Jeff Shipley, R-Birmingham, supports the House proposal. He said carrying a gun should not stop being legal at a school driveway.
“If a firearm is in a vehicle — locked, concealed — goes on campus, picks up a student, drops a student off and then leaves, no one has been harmed by that occurring,” Shipley said.
Some school advocates who are against the bills said that more guns near schools increases the risk of a shooting.
Emily Piper, with the Iowa Association of School Boards, opposes the Senate bill because she said guns could end up in places where they aren’t allowed or wanted.
“You know, a parking lot right by an athletic facility, they’re there for a game, and they forget and take the gun in with them. I mean, who is policing all this? And what kind of potentially dangerous situations could it create?” she said.
Both the Senate and House bills have passed out of subcommittees.