Governor to Sign Bill Easing Gun Restrictions

The legislation would allow those with concealed weapons permits to take guns in bars and government buildings without security. It would also let churches opt-into the law and allow those who accidentally carry guns into airport security lines to avoid local fines and jail time. However, they could still face a federal fine. GeorgiaCarry.Org executive director Jerry Henry said he’s pleased Governor Deal is planning to sign the bill.

“For those who believe in the second amendment it gives us a lot of our freedoms back that have been taken away from us over the years.”

Most Republicans supported the bill and most Democrats like state Senator Nan Orrock opposed it. Orrock said, “I’m both saddened and really outraged. It’s opposed by members of the faith community. It’s opposed by members of the law enforcement community, and I think 70 percent of Georgians did not think we need to take our gun laws in this direction.”

However, Democratic gubernatorial candidate and state Senator Jason Carter voted for the bill. Carter spoke about it Monday to MSNBC.

“I think the second amendment is important to many people in Georgia, and I know a lot of national Democrats and others have been upset or angry about this, and I’ve heard from a lot of them, but again we worked across the aisle to make the bill better than what it was when it first started. I think we succeeded in that, but ultimately you’re talking about people who have a license to carry in a state where the second amendment is very important.”

The bill has drawn worry among those who say it could allow convicted felons who use illegal firearms to use Georgia’s so called stand your ground law to claim self-defense. Law enforcement officials have also said they’re concerned about a portion of the bill which would prohibit police from stopping someone carrying a gun solely to see their concealed carry permit.

The bill has drawn national attention from opponents such as a group co-founded by Representative Gabby Giffords. The National Rifle Association has referred to the measure as the “most comprehensive pro-gun reform bill in state history.”

  We have put together a summary of the key provisions of the new gun law that was passed in the waning hours of this year’s General Assembly and which is now awaiting Gov. Deal’s signature. The summary appears below as an image.

This is not an exhaustive summary of the bill’s contents, and we are not lawyers. For more information and for the exact wording, please check the full text of the bill (HB 60) as passed by the Legislature (PDF).

For more on the background and politics of this bill, please see WABE’s coverage of the2014 Georgia Legislature as well as our coverage of guns and gun legislation.