A pair of bills moving forward in the Iowa Legislature would allow people with weapon permits to have guns on school property.
A House bill would allow weapon permit-holders to have handguns in their cars when they’re picking up or dropping someone off at school.
The Senate bill would allow guns outside of cars in school parking lots and driveways, and it would shield schools from lawsuits related to firearms on school property.
Republican Rep. Jeff Shipley, of Birmingham, supports the House proposal. He said carrying a gun should not stop being legal at a school driveway.
"If a firearm is in a vehicle -- locked concealed -- goes on campus picks up a student, drops a student off and then leaves, no one has been harmed by that occurring," Shipley said.
Some school advocates are against the bills. They say with more guns near schools the risk of a shooting goes up.
Emily Piper with the Iowa Association of School Boards opposes the Senate bill because she said guns could end up in places where they aren’t allowed or wanted.
Both the Senate and House bills have passed out of subcommittees.
