Bill
SF 106
SF 106 broadens loaded-firearm carriage on snowmobiles/ATVs, with land-ownership rules, removes set conveyance fines, and repeals §483A.36.
Title: Conveyance of firearms in or on certain vehicles
Status: Signed by Governor (May 6, 2025). Introduced Jan 22, 2025; committee and floor action in both chambers; passed House and Senate with amendments.
Purpose
- To change how Iowa law treats the carrying and conveyance of firearms in or on snowmobiles, all‑terrain vehicles (ATVs), and certain vehicles on public highways by modifying criminal prohibitions and associated scheduled fines.
Key provisions and changes
- Amends Iowa Code §321G.13 (snowmobiles) and §321I.14 (all‑terrain vehicles), subsection 2:
- Replaces the prior blanket prohibition against operating or riding a snowmobile/ATV with a firearm unless it is unloaded and enclosed in a carrying case.
- Establishes conditions under which a person may operate or ride with a loaded firearm (concealed or not) without a permit:
- A loaded firearm is allowed while operating/riding on land that is owned, possessed, or rented by the person, provided the person’s conduct is otherwise lawful.
- A loaded pistol or revolver is allowed while operating/riding on land not owned/possessed/rented by the person, provided the conduct is otherwise lawful.
- Maintains a prohibition on discharging a firearm while on a snowmobile or ATV, except that a nonambulatory person may discharge a firearm while lawfully hunting if not operating or riding a moving snowmobile/ATV.
- Amends §805.8B(3)(q) by striking that paragraph (this section lists scheduled fines for certain conveyance offenses).
- Under prior law, conveying an assembled, unloaded gun in/on a vehicle could carry a scheduled fine of $35; conveying a loaded gun could be $70. Those specific penalties tied to the removed paragraph are eliminated.
- Repeals Code §483A.36 (text of that section removed from law).
Who is affected
- Operators and riders of snowmobiles and ATVs (including hunters and recreationists): broader ability to carry loaded firearms in more situations.
- Nonambulatory hunters: retained specific allowance to carry/discharge in certain nonmoving situations.
- Motor vehicle operators on public highways and general conveyance rules: related conveyance prohibitions/fines are removed or amended.
- Law enforcement, conservation officers, and prosecutors: changes in applicable criminal prohibitions and scheduled fines require updates to enforcement practices and charging decisions.
- Landowners and users of public/private lands: distinctions depend on land ownership/possession status.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Introduced Jan 22, 2025; referred to Judiciary (and had subcommittee activity).
- Passed both chambers (House and Senate) with amendments; enrolled and certified.
- Reported correctly enrolled and signed by legislative leaders; signed by Governor Kim Reynolds on May 6, 2025.
- Effective date: upon approval/signature (May 6, 2025), unless another effective date is specified elsewhere in statute.
Practical effect
- The bill relaxes prior limitations on carrying loaded firearms while operating or riding snowmobiles and ATVs in many circumstances, removes at least one statutory penalty related to conveying firearms in/on vehicles, and repeals a named statutory provision (§483A.36). It shifts the legal landscape for firearm carriage on these vehicles and may affect enforcement and public‑safety considerations.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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