House Study Bill 166 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY BILL BY CHAIRPERSON VONDRAN) A BILL FOR An Act authorizing a judicial officer to be issued a 1 professional permit to carry weapons. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2612YC (2) 91 sb/js

H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 724.6, subsection 1, paragraph a, 1 subparagraph (1), Code 2025, is amended to read as follows: 2 (1) A person may be issued a permit to carry weapons when 3 the person’s employment in a private investigation business 4 or private security business licensed under chapter 80A , or a 5 person’s employment as a peace officer, correctional officer, 6 judicial officer, county attorney, assistant county attorney, 7 security guard, bank messenger or other person transporting 8 property of a value requiring security, or in police work, 9 reasonably justifies that person going armed. 10 Sec. 2. Section 724.6, subsection 1, paragraph a, 11 subparagraph (4), Code 2025, is amended to read as follows: 12 (4) A person may be issued a permit to carry weapons if the 13 person is a judicial officer, county attorney , or an assistant 14 county attorney. An application for a permit by an assistant 15 county attorney must be approved by the county attorney of each 16 county in which the applicant serves prior to a permit to carry 17 weapons being issued. The sheriff of the issuing county may 18 require the applicant to complete a proficiency examination 19 prior to issuing the permit to carry weapons. The standards 20 for a proficiency examination for a judicial officer, county 21 attorney , or assistant county attorney shall not exceed the 22 standards required of a peace officer. The applicant shall pay 23 the reasonable costs associated with completing a proficiency 24 examination. 25 Sec. 3. Section 724.6, subsection 1, paragraphs b, c, and d, 26 Code 2025, are amended to read as follows: 27 b. The permit shall be on a form prescribed and published 28 by the commissioner of public safety, shall identify the 29 holder, and shall state the nature of the employment requiring 30 the holder to go armed. A permit so issued, other than to a 31 peace officer, judicial officer, county attorney, or assistant 32 county attorney, shall authorize the person to whom it is 33 issued to go armed anywhere in the state, only while engaged 34 in the employment, and while going to and from the place of the 35 -1- LSB 2612YC (2) 91 sb/js 1/ 3

H.F. _____ employment. 1 c. A permit issued to a certified peace officer, judicial 2 officer, county attorney, or assistant county attorney 3 shall authorize that peace officer, judicial officer, county 4 attorney, or assistant county attorney to go armed anywhere in 5 the state at all times, including on the grounds of a school. 6 d. Permits shall expire twelve months after the date when 7 issued except that permits issued to peace officers, judicial 8 officers, county attorneys, assistant county attorneys, and 9 correctional officers are valid through the holder of the 10 permit’s period of employment unless otherwise canceled. 11 When the employment is terminated, the holder of the permit 12 shall surrender it the permit to the issuing officer for 13 cancellation. 14 Sec. 4. Section 724.6, subsection 3, Code 2025, is amended 15 to read as follows: 16 3. For purposes of this section , “emergency medical care 17 provider” : 18 a. “Emergency medical care provider” means the same as 19 defined in section 147A.1 . 20 b. “Judicial officer” means the same as defined in section 21 602.1101. 22 Sec. 5. Section 724.6, Code 2025, is amended by adding the 23 following new subsection: 24 NEW SUBSECTION . 4. The supreme court may by rule impose 25 additional training or other requirements on judicial officers 26 who hold a permit issued under this section. 27 EXPLANATION 28 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 29 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 30 This bill authorizes a judicial officer to be issued a 31 professional permit to carry weapons. 32 The bill provides that a judicial officer may be issued 33 a professional permit to carry weapons under the provisions 34 of Code section 724.6 (professional permit to carry weapons) 35 -2- LSB 2612YC (2) 91 sb/js 2/ 3

H.F. _____ under the condition that the sheriff of the issuing county may 1 require the applicant, at the applicant’s expense, to complete 2 a proficiency examination prior to the permit to carry weapons 3 being issued. 4 The bill provides that a permit issued to a judicial officer 5 grants authorization to go armed anywhere in the state at all 6 times, including on the grounds of a school. 7 The bill provides that a permit issued to a judicial 8 officer is valid through the holder of the permit’s period of 9 employment unless otherwise canceled. When the employment is 10 terminated, the holder of the permit is required to surrender 11 the permit to the issuing officer for cancellation. 12 The bill defines a judicial officer as a supreme court 13 justice, a judge of the court of appeals, a district judge, 14 a district associate judge, an associate juvenile judge, an 15 associate probate judge, or a magistrate. The term also 16 includes a person who is temporarily serving as a justice, 17 judge, or magistrate as permitted by law. 18 The bill allows the supreme court to impose additional 19 training or other requirements on judicial officers who hold a 20 permit issued under the bill. 21 -3- LSB 2612YC (2) 91 sb/js 3/ 3