Coastal Georgia’s largest city will require guns left in empty vehicles be securely stored, an effort that Savannah Mayor Van Johnson says is meant to cut down on gun thefts from unlocked cars.
“We are not trying to take anybody’s guns — that is a constitutional right granted by the Second Amendment,” Johnson, a Democrat, told reporters. “But we do think with the right comes a responsibility to maintain and secure this right. I am still going to carry my gun. But I am also going to lock my gun up.”
The ordinance passed on April 11 will also require people to report gun thefts to police within 24 hours. Enforcement began on April 15 when Savannah Mayor Van Johnson signed the ordinance into law, although there is also a 90-day educational campaign. No one spoke against the ordinance during public comment, while it was supported by members of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.
The move is part of a focus by gun control advocates on keeping guns secured. They unsuccessfully pushed in Georgia’s legislative session earlier this year to give people a $300 state income tax credit to pay for gun locks, gun safes and safety classes. The focus on safety partly reflects that more restrictive measures are blocked because Republicans control Georgia’s state government and because recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings have left many gun control measures on shaky legal footing.
Minnie Gilbert, whose grandson was shot to death in 2020 and daughter was shot to death in 2023, said Savannah’s new law will help cut down access to illegal weapons. The law comes with a maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine and 30 days in jail.
