‘We do not need a militia of toddlers': If Iowa law passes, children can use handguns

[happyslug]

113. I am talking about the ACTUAL PROPOSED LAW WITH ITS STRICT LIABILITY RULE.

The actual proposed law, will remove the present restriction that requires a minor to be age 14 before he or she can shoot a pistol but adds TWO clauses:

1. that a parent MUST be within verbal and visual contact with the minor AND
2. If the minor is below age 14 any damage done by the minor, the parent is STRICTLY liable for.

Someone disliked the idea of minors below age 14 handling a pistols. They bring up 1 to 2 years old, but it seems the age people are most concern about are 10 to 14 years olds (with some people mentioning they fired pistols when they were six with their parents supervision and help). Like many laws regarding minors, no one could agree on a bottom age so the legislature just dropped the whole idea and left it up to the parents to decide when a child can fire a pistol.

In the opinion of many people 14 was to high an age, many 10 to 14 year olds wanted to shoot pistols also.

Please note this law only covers PISTOLS, present law permits any minor of any age to operate a rifle or shotgun for the same reason the proposed law has no bottom age, the legislature could not come up with one that everyone would agree to.