Joining backers outside Gable Sporting Goods in Douglasville on Tuesday, the Republican governor celebrated the new law, stating it will guarantee citizens’ rights to defend themselves in public, Fox 5 of Atlanta reported.
“SB 319 makes sure that law-abiding Georgians — law-abiding Georgians, including our daughters and your family too — can protect themselves without having the permission of the state government. The Constitution of the United States gives us that right, not the government,” Kemp announced. “HB 218 ensures that individuals who are licensed to carry in another state are also authorized to do so here in Georgia.”
Called the “Constitutional Carry Act,” the new law cleared both chambers of the state legislature by the beginning of April to the high recognition of Second Amendment advocates in the state — and across the nation.
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“This isn’t a bill that’s going to create more crime. This is allowing law-abiding citizens to carry a weapon without a license in Georgia,” announced state Sen. Jason Anavitarte, a Republican, Fox 5 reported. On Tuesday, Kemp signed legislation that recognizes and accepts other states’ concealed carry permits in Georgia. Critics swiftly denounced both new laws.
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“This legislation will potentially allow individuals with a criminal history who purchase a gun through a private sale to legally carry a hidden, loaded weapon in our communities,” announced state Rep. Kimberly Alexander, a Democrat, according to the report.
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The bill also attracted some denouncement from Kemp’s Trump-backed primary gubernatorial opponent, former Sen. David Perdue, who applauded the bill’s signing though denounced Kemp for taking “four years” to get it signed. Before the bill signing, Georgians had to have a Weapons Carry License, or WCL, to carry a hidden weapon in public, although people could carry rifles and shotguns in many places without a permit and carry unloaded guns in cases. Residents have to apply for a WCL through their nation’s probate court.
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WCL applicants have to pass a criminal background check, pay an average fee of $75, and provide their fingerprints. Convicted felons and people hospitalized for mental health problems or who got treatment for drugs or alcohol in the years preceding the application are not eligible.
Under the new law, it is illegal for convicted felons to hold weapons. Consumers still need to pass a background check to purchase a handgun from a licensed dealer in Georgia.
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