Does Iowa’s New Gun Law Invite Straw Purchases?

Iowa’s brand-new gun law is raising eyebrows – and serious legal questions.

Starting Tuesday, 18- to 20-year-olds will be allowed to legally carry firearms in Iowa. Sounds like a Second Amendment win, right?

But here’s the catch: federal law still prohibits licensed dealers from selling handguns to anyone under 21. So while young adults can carry, they can’t legally buy from a gun shop.

Gun shop owner Kemlin Hart told KCRG-TV9 he supports the law in principle but worries it could land well-meaning families in hot water.

“How do we handle if a father comes in and buys his son or daughter a firearm? Is that a straw purchase?” Hart asked.

Under federal law, buying a gun for someone who isn’t legally allowed to buy it themselves can carry up to 15 years in prison.

The new Iowa law allows parents or immediate family members to gift or sell guns to 18- to 20-year-olds. But Hart says the gray area remains: how long must someone own a gun before gifting it to avoid a straw purchase charge?

“There’s more in the bill for face value for politicians than anything else,” Hart said bluntly.

At the end of the day, this well-intended law could create confusion for families and gun dealers alike.

While Iowa’s new gun law is empowering young adults – is it also setting citizens up for unintended straw purchase violations?

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