MUSCATINE COUNTY, Iowa — The Muscatine County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution Monday, Jan. 7 declaring the county a sanctuary for Second Amendment gun rights.
The resolution acknowledged the economic benefit of all safe forms of firearm recreation, hunting and shooting for residents of Muscatine County and guaranteed them the right to keep and bear arms to defend life, liberty and property. The county said in the resolution it would oppose any state or federal legislation seeking to infringe on its residents' right to do so.
Although county-level protections do not supersede federal law, they do prevent county resources from assisting federal efforts that violate the Second Amendment, according to the Iowa Firearm Coalition.
As of Tuesday, Feb. 8, the Iowa Firearm Coalition reported 33 other Iowa counties have declared sanctuary status, including Mitchell, Chickasaw, Pocahontas, Hardin, Carrol, Jasper, Cedar, Washington, Madison, Mills, Adams, Clarke, Humboldt, Kossuth, Ringgold, Buchanan, Van Buren, Winnebago, Decatur, Dallas, Guthrie, Benton, Page, Lucas, Taylor, Union, Hancock, Buena Vista, Pottawattamie, Cherokee, Montgomery, Fremont, and Wayne.
The sanctuary resolutions came in despite the fact the state has already significantly loosened its firearm regulations.
According to the Associated Press, Iowa in 2021 was among several Republican-led states to pass laws allowing for carrying of guns without a permit, and the law that took effect July 1, known as House File 756, eliminated a background check requirement to obtain permits to purchase handguns between private citizens.
