Iowa took a strong step in support of constitutional rights on Friday as Republican Governor Kim Reynolds signed legislation allowing law-abiding 18-year-olds to own and carry handguns. The move marks a return to common sense and a recognition that young adults—many of whom serve in the U.S. military—deserve the right to defend themselves and their families at home as well.
The new law, House File 924, was championed by Rep. Steven Holt (R), who powerfully reminded lawmakers that Americans trust 18-year-olds with the responsibility of bearing arms overseas. “I joined the Marines when I was 18, I graduated from boot camp when I was 18. I was carrying firearms in the military, ready to defend my country when I was 18, along with hundreds of thousands of other young men and women,” Holt said. “So the idea that an 18-year-old, a 19-year-old, a 20-year-old, doesn’t have a right to own a firearm in protection of their families — which is really what the Second Amendment is about, right?”
While Democrats opposed the legislation, claiming it would endanger lives, supporters argued that the bill signed by Kim Reynolds simply restores the constitutional rights of responsible young adults. State Sen. Art Staed (D) voiced his opposition, saying lowering the age requirement “won’t save lives.” But for Iowans who believe in the founding principles of individual liberty and self-defense, the right to keep and bear arms should not depend on arbitrary age restrictions once adulthood is reached.
The law is set to go into effect on July 1, 2025. As states across the country face increasing pressure from gun control activists, Iowa is standing firm in defense of the Second Amendment and the freedoms it protects.
