(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Senate has passed a bill that would let Iowans who are legally allowed to carry firearms have guns in their locked vehicles in state, county and city parking lots. Republican Senator Jason Schultz of Schleswig says the bill protects the Second Amendment rights of law abiding Iowans. “As they go about their day there should not be a place, funded by them, in which they have to stop. off premises, remove a constitutionally protected carry weapon to go to a place….in order to do their business with whatever level of government.”

Senator Art Staed, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, voted against the bill. He says unlike private property, state and local governments have a responsibility to ensure safety in public parking lots. “Allowing firearms in these spaces makes it more difficult for agents to protect employees and visitors and can complicate security planning for high-traffic facilities and for public events,” Staed said. The original bill would have let Iowans have guns in parked vehicles in the parking lots of Iowa community colleges, the three state supported universities and in the parking lots of Iowa’s K-through-12 schools — but those provisions were removed.

Senator Mike Zimmer, a Democrat from DeWitt, is a retired teacher, administrator and coach. Zimmer says he’s seen some angry people in the lines waiting to drop off or pick up students. “You can see the people’s faces getting (beet red). They get mad,” Zimmer said. “…I would prefer not to have people armed at that pick up or drop off time, so thank you for removing that.” Senator Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, says tailgating parking lots should remain gun-free zones. “Sometimes post-game there are, let’s say, incidents of overtime competition even after the final result of the game is over,” Quirmbach said. “…Those are unfortunate sometimes and the last place we want guns to be available.”

The bill, which passed on a 35-to-12 vote, would also let Iowans have a loaded gun in a vehicle that’s transporting a child in foster care. The Iowa Senate gave nearly unanimous approval to a different bill that would let state lawmakers, judges, and the attorney general get a professional permit to carry a weapon. That bill passed on a 45-to-two vote.