A bill passed in Iowa with a 62-36 majority on Feb. 23 allows children of all ages to use "a pistol, revolver or the ammunition" under adult supervision. Currently, the minimum age to use guns in Iowa is 14 years.
"It's our impression that most, and probably all, states allow minors to possess firearms with parental supervision. If there are age limitations on possession with parental supervision, they vary by state," said Allison Anderman, staff attorney for the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, speaking on the issue to The Guardian.
According to Rep. Jake Highfill (R) a strong supporter of the bill, it "brings the code in line with long guns and shotguns" while defining supervision as "supervision provided by another person who maintains visual and verbal contact at all times with the supervised person. Allowing people to learn at a young age the respect that a gun commands is one of the most important things you can do," Highfill told The Washington Post. Highfill felt that the bill "gives the power back to parents."
"It's about handgun safety. My daughter started learning at a young age how dangerous it can be. They got exposed to them," said Nathan Gibson, to KCCI. The Gibson daughters, Natalie and Meredith, were introduced to guns when they were 5 years old.
But not everyone was convinced.
"We do not have handguns that I am aware of that fit the hands of 1-year-olds, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds to operate handguns. We do not need a militia of toddlers," said state Rep. Kirsten Running-Marquardt, who opposed the bill, reports CNN.
State representative Mary Mascher, who was not in favor of the bill, said that the state "can't legislate good parenting ... but we can protect our children. While most parents would not allow their 2-year-old to wield a revolver, we pass laws for those parents who lack the parenting skills needed to protect their own children," Mascher said, according to The Guardian.
The bill now moves to the state Senate.
