Cedar County Sheriff Warren Wethington publicly called on Iowa’s State Senators on Thursday to pass the Students First Safety Act, HF2586. The bill is supported by the Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC).
“It is impossible for Iowa’s peace officers to be everywhere at all times and our state’s students and staff must be better protected,” said Wethington. “I fully support the Students First Safety Act and I call on lawmakers in the Senate to pass it now. Our children can’t afford to wait any longer.”
The Students First Safety Act, which passed the Iowa House overwhelmingly in February, will allow for specially trained armed staff to carry firearms on school grounds. The legislation further includes provisions that provide a path forward for school districts seeking to safeguard their campuses with the ability to obtain insurance.
Two school districts in northwest Iowa had worked to implement armed staff in 2023 but canceled plans once Des Moines-based EMC Insurance notified the districts that their insurance policies would not be renewed if their plans went into effect.
“We are grateful Sheriff Wethington is taking a public stand in support of school safety,” said IFC President Dave Funk. “As the recent act of evil at Perry High School proved, evil can happen anywhere. The only proven way to save lives when evil strikes is to have good people who are willing and able to respond quickly.”
The Iowa Firearms Coalition, Iowa’s official NRA State Association, is a 501(c4) nonprofit and is Iowa’s only effective pro-Second Amendment rights organization.
