In 2021, the Iowa legislature took the dangerous step of adopting “permitless carry” and repealing a longstanding state law requiring handgun background checks. The legislature also authorized a ballot measure that invites an onslaught of litigation over basic gun safety laws, including prohibitions for those convicted of felony or domestic violence offenses. In 2023, Iowa had the tenth lowest gun death rate among the states. In an average year, 343 people die from gun violence in the state. That means that someone dies from gun violence every 26 hours. Seventy-eight percent of those deaths are gun suicides, and 19% are gun homicides. In Iowa, the rate of gun deaths increased 41% from 2014 to 2023, compared to a 33% increase nationwide.