Iowa Bill Aims to Legalize Machine Guns, Short-Barreled Rifles, Short-Barreled Shotguns

Ted Cruz fires a belt-fed M249 machine gun.

A new Iowa bill was introduced this week aiming to end the prohibition on possessing certain firearms, including machine guns, short-barreled rifles and short-barreled shotguns, reports The Des Moines Register.

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The bill, known as Senate File 108, was formally introduced on Thursday by Republican state Senator Jason Schultz. Schulz told The Des Moines Register that his objective is to make Iowa law on firearms no stricter than federal law.

As of right now, anyone found in possession of a machine gun, short-barreled rifle or short-barreled shotgun in Iowa can be charged with a Class D felony, which is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Schultz stressed that Iowans would only be able to purchase these types of firearms after undergoing an extensive federal background check, filling out the necessary paperwork and acquiring a tax stamp. He also added that only vintage machine guns manufactured before 1986 would be allowed.

“I haven’t heard anything but support,” he told The Des Moines Register.

Apparently, Schultz hasn’t heard Democratic state Senator Pam Jochum’s opinion on the issue.

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“If they believe this is somehow going to make our neighborhoods safer and make our homes safer, it’s not. To me personally, I think that this goes way beyond anything that even the founders recognized when they wrote the Second Amendment,” she told The Des Moines Register.

However, Richard Rogers, a legislative liaison for the Iowa Firearms Coalition, pointed out that most people won’t actually be purchasing a machine gun if they are made legal in the state; they cost a whopping $20,000 to $40,000.

According to The Des Moines Register, SF 108 has a good chance of being approved. Republicans hold the majority in both the Iowa House and Senate.

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