Iowa governor signs 'constitutional carry' law, residents may now carry a firearm without a permit

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday signed into law a measure establishing "constitutional carry" in that state, wherein residents will no longer have to seek a permit from the government before being permitted to carry firearms. 

The law "protects the Second Amendment rights of Iowa’s law-abiding citizens while still preventing the sale of firearms to criminals and other dangerous individuals," Reynolds said. 

In addition to the constitutional carry provision, Reynolds said the law takes "greater steps to inform law enforcement about an individual’s mental illness helping ensure firearms don’t end up in the wrong hands."

Iowa joins the more-than 15 other states that allow constitutional carry.