Reynolds looking at Iowa’s new handgun bill

JOHNSTON, Iowa (WOWT) - During her news conference Wednesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds addressed questions on Iowa’s gun laws saying she has held steady in her comments on the topic since she was in the Senate.

The governor said she would continue to take a look at new legislation as it is presented.

“I’ve been very consistent in my messaging on that,” she said.

The proposed bill would roll back some current restrictions on handgun sales and use in Iowa, and would eliminate the need to obtain a permit to buy a handgun or carry it in public. It would also mean no background checks would be required unless buying from a federally licensed dealer.

“I’ve been pretty clear that when we’re talking about gun violence we need to take a holistic approach,” the governor said. “There’s not a single answer. We need to be following the laws that are on the books. We need to make sure that coordination is in place between the agencies. We need to do everything we can to be proactive, and just address mental health issues.”