ATLANTA (April 29, 2009) – The Georgia General Assembly voted today in favor of clearer laws for Georgia’s 400,000 lawfully carrying citizens and Georgia’s law enforcement officials with the passage of the Lawful Carry Act in the General Assembly. The Georgia House voted today in favor of the Georgia Common Sense Lawful Carry Act (SB 308), which will remove confusing provisions from the current law. Senator Mitch Seabaugh (R-Sharpsburg) sponsored the Act.
“Today was a victory for lawfully carrying citizens and law enforcement officials with the General Assembly’s support to clear up confusion in Georgia’s firearms laws. Any time we can clear up confusing laws, every citizen benefits. Property owners retained their personal rights and law enforcement will be able to properly enforce the law to keep citizens safe,” said Seabaugh. “I want to thank my colleagues in the Senate and House for their support and willingness to work on this legislation. This is truly a bill written by the citizens of Georgia. I want to thank everyone who provided valuable input into writing this bill to help achieve a law that makes sense.”
The final bill successfully removed the confusing public gathering clause and provided specifics as to where it is lawful to carry a weapon and clearer penalties for infractions. Property owner rights were successfully preserved by allowing their discretion as to having weapons on their property. No weapons will be allowed in any K-12 school, but those with a license will be able to keep them in their vehicle parked on the lot. This is the same provision that teachers have currently. Citizens with a carry license will be able to leave their weapon in a parked vehicle on college and university campuses. However, it will be a misdemeanor if they have a license and carry onto a college or university campus. It will still be a felony crime to carry a weapon onto a campus if one does not have a license to carry.
Seabaugh worked to move the bill through the Senate and House by walking legislators through each section of the bill and talked to the process of working with all parties who had interest in the legislation, including gun safety advocates. Since introduction of the bill in January, Seabaugh met with representatives from the Board of Regents, Georgians for Gun Safety, Georgia Carry, churches, educators, law enforcement officials and prosecutors. Each of them had the opportunity to learn about the Lawful Carry bill and had suggestions of their own for improvements. The final outcome includes their input.
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
April 29, 2010
For Information Contact:
Raegan Weber, Director
Raegan.Weber@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028