The Georgia House overwhelmingly passed a bill Thursday easing restrictions on licensed gun owners.
House Bill 512 would expand gun-carry areas to churches, bars, government buildings, parts of college campuses, and outside of airports.
The sweeping measure, which cleared the House 117 – 56, would also allow designated administrators to carry guns in K-12 schools.
On the House floor, the bill’s sponsor, State Representative Rick Jasperse (R – Jasper) explained why college students should be allowed to carry firearms on campus.
“Criminals are armed not only with their weapons, but the knowledge that the law-abiding people on campuses are disarmed – making campus folks easy prey,” said Jasperse.
A lengthy floor debate followed, with Republicans mostly supportive and Democrats mostly opposed.
Republican John Meadows, chair of the powerful House Rules Committee, said it was time for people to take back their Second Amendment rights.
“Your rights have been chipped away little by little for a long, long time,” said Meadows.
He added an appeal that sounded a lot like a threat.
“I never forget nothing and it’s taken me a long time to learn to forgive some people,” said Meadows.
Meanwhile, Representative Scott Holcomb (D – Atlanta), a combat veteran, argued guns were the last thing colleges needed.
“I’m not by nature a worrier, but I worry the mix of alcohol, drugs, sex, and immaturity on college campuses could be fatal,” said Holcomb.
Holcomb referenced University System Chancellor Hank Huckaby’s opposition to the bill. Huckaby has said he doesn’t think the bill would make campuses safer.
Under the bill, gun owners could carry weapons in classrooms, but not residence halls, athletic events, and fraternity and sorority houses.
The bill still must be approved by the Senate and signed by the governor.
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