An Iowa State University student and Second Amendment advocate has filed a lawsuit against the City of Ames, challenging a policy that prohibits lawfully carried firearms aboard the city’s CyRide public transportation system.
According to the Iowa Firearms Coalition, Natalie Gibson filed the lawsuit in Story County District Court, alleging that the firearms prohibition violates Iowa Code Section 724.28, the state’s firearm preemption law. The law limits the authority of local governments to adopt restrictions on the lawful carrying or transportation of firearms.
Gibson, who has been involved in firearms advocacy since she was young, holds a valid Iowa permit to carry and relies in part on CyRide for transportation around Ames.
The lawsuit alleges that the city was notified in October 2025 that the policy may violate state law. According to the Iowa Firearms Coalition, city officials acknowledged the state statute but maintained the restriction because CyRide buses travel through Iowa State University’s campus.
The legal filing challenges that explanation, arguing that university policies do not authorize a municipality to enforce firearms restrictions prohibited by state law. The petition also notes that at least one CyRide route does not travel through the university campus.
The lawsuit seeks a court declaration that the policy violates Iowa law, an injunction preventing its enforcement, statutory damages, and reimbursement of attorney fees and court costs.
The Iowa Firearms Coalition supports Gibson’s legal challenge, saying the case raises questions about the authority of local governments and the enforcement of Iowa’s firearm preemption law.
The allegations have not been established by a court, and the lawsuit’s outcome remains pending.
Source: Iowa Firearms Coalition, “2A Advocate Takes on the City of Ames over Unlawful Gun Ban,” published October 26, 2026.
Source link: https://iowafc.org/2026/10/26/2a-advocate-takes-on-the-city-of-ames-over-unlawful-gun-ban/
