Senate Joint Resolution 2004 - Introduced SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 2004 BY CHELGREN SENA TE JOINT RESOLUTION A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution 1 of the State of Iowa relating to the composition of the 2 militia and the rights of militia members. 3 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5856XS (3) 87 asf/jh
S.J.R. 2004 Section 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of 1 the State of Iowa is proposed: 2 Section 1 of Article VI of the Constitution of the State of 3 Iowa, as amended by amendment number 5 of the Amendments of 4 1868, is repealed and the following adopted in lieu thereof: 5 Composition —— training. SECTION 1. The militia of this 6 state shall be composed of all able-bodied persons eighteen 7 years of age and older who are citizens of the United States 8 of America and this state, are residents of this state, and 9 pay income tax in this state. The militia shall be armed, 10 equipped, and trained as the general assembly may provide by 11 law. A militia member shall have all firearm rights under 12 this state’s laws. The general assembly shall not bar militia 13 members from possessing or owning firearms, except as otherwise 14 provided by law in effect as of the date this amendment is 15 approved and ratified by the people, including a bar for a 16 criminal record or requiring a valid permit to carry a weapon. 17 Sec. 2. REFERRAL AND PUBLICATION. The foregoing proposed 18 amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is referred 19 to the general assembly to be chosen at the next general 20 election for members of the general assembly, and the secretary 21 of state is directed to cause the proposed amendment to be 22 published for three consecutive months previous to the date of 23 that election as provided by law. 24 EXPLANATION 25 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 26 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 27 This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the 28 Constitution of the State of Iowa relating to the composition 29 of the militia of this state and the rights of militia members. 30 The amendment provides that the militia of this state shall 31 be composed of all able-bodied persons over the age of 18 who 32 are citizens of the United States and Iowa, residents of Iowa, 33 and pay Iowa income tax. The Constitution of the State of 34 Iowa currently provides that the militia of this state shall 35 -1- LSB 5856XS (3) 87 asf/jh 1/ 2
S.J.R. 2004 be composed of all able-bodied male citizens between the ages 1 of 18 and 45 years who are not exempt by the laws of the United 2 States or of this state. 3 The resolution provides that the militia shall be armed, 4 equipped, and trained as the general assembly may provide by 5 law. The resolution provides for the rights of members of the 6 militia. The resolution provides that all militia members are 7 guaranteed all firearm rights under Iowa law. The resolution 8 provides that the general assembly shall not specifically bar 9 militia members from possessing or owning firearms, except 10 as otherwise provided by law in effect as of the date the 11 amendment is approved and ratified by the people, including a 12 bar for a criminal record or requiring a valid permit to carry 13 a weapon. 14 The resolution, if adopted, would be published and then 15 referred to the next general assembly (88th) for adoption, 16 before being submitted to the electorate for ratification. 17 -2- LSB 5856XS (3) 87 asf/jh 2/ 2