Senate approves bill to expand professional carry permits and create penalties for threats to judges and legislators

Senate File 22‑80, introduced by Senator Webster, would authorize professional permits to carry for attorney‑general staff and judicial officers and create criminal penalties for threatening or maliciously sharing personal information about judges, public officials or their families. The bill includes a new class C felony for making threats against judicial officers and their immediate families and a serious misdemeanor for sharing personal information of judicial officers.

Senator Webster offered Senate Amendment 50‑27 to extend the protections to members of the General Assembly, which he said was the sole substantive change in the amendment. The amendment was put and adopted by voice vote. Webster urged passage on public‑safety grounds, saying the measure was "a good bill for Iowa in protecting those in the legislature along with those in the judiciary system."

The Senate recorded a roll‑call on passage with recorded ayes from a number of senators (for example, Senators Westrich, Whitver, Dawson, Taylor and Kelker were recorded as voting aye on the final passage) and the chair declared the bill passed with a constitutional majority (record reads Aye 45, Nay 2). The amended bill title as read on the floor references permitting for members of the General Assembly, judicial officers, and certain attorney‑general staff, and lists the covered offenses related to threats and malicious sharing of personal information.

The Senate ordered the bill immediately messaged to the House by unanimous consent.