Nearly a year ago, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed campus-carry legislation. Yesterday, a similar bill was passed by Georgia lawmakers on the final day of the legislative session and is now awaiting the Republican governor’s consideration.
House Bill 280 would allow law-abiding gun owners with a concealed-carry permit to carry firearms for protection on campus. Notable exemptions include athletic events, student housing, professor’s offices, on-campus child care centers, rooms used by high school students and rooms used for disciplinary hearings. The measure vetoed by Deal last year did not include these exemptions, and supporters hope these new exemptions will secure passage of the bill.
While the measure doesn’t provide for as widespread campus carry as some supporters had hoped, many proponents believe it is a good first step toward deregulating carry rights on Georgia campuses.
