Last Friday, legislation passed in the state senate to allow the legalization of firearms at all Georgia college campuses. Today, Governor Nathan Deal announced that he wants changes made to the bill that will allow students to carry even suggesting that he may veto the bill if changes aren’t made.
In a statement released by the governor’s office, Deal suggests that lawmakers should consider addressing high school students who are joint-enrolled in college courses that allow firearms. The statement also mentioned giving colleges the choice of making their own rules regarding being able to carry guns at faculty and administrative offices.
“Addressing these issues is an important step in ensuring the safety and freedoms of students, faculty and staff in our institutions of higher learning throughout our state,” said the statement from Deal’s office, which didn’t use the word “veto” but implied it nonetheless.
READ MORE: Georgia Passes Legislation on “Campus Carry” Bill
Greg Bluestein at AJC says, “lawmakers could still approve new changes to firearms rules in separate legislation winding its way through the Legislature. If that’s the case, then Deal would first sign the original “campus carry” legislation and then the second measure that includes the changes he wants. The second measure would take precedence over the first.”
House Bill 859 was passed on Friday, which legalizes guns on school campuses for the very first time in Georgia. The bill allows for students over 21 years old with a weapons license to carry firearms anywhere on the campuses except dorms, fraternity & sorority houses and at athletic events.
According to a tweet we made, 61% of Georgians disagree with the passings of this legislation. Follow us here to join future conversations.
Should Georgia allow guns on college campuses?
— Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) March 13, 2016
Georgia’s Board of Regents have always expressed their disinterest involving guns on college and university campuses. Usually, they’re successful with blocking attempts to legalize guns on campuses. The most recent attempt came in 2014 when the state House voted to legalize campus carry as part of a broader effort dubbed the “Guns Everywhere Bill.”
3 Comments
It would seem I’m ignorant to what was so bad that happened, to necessitate even for the Bill to be proposed in the first place? Shouldn’t the campus security be the one that is beefed up more?
I’d be interested to know what problem he sees with the whole “dual enrolled” and daycare center thing? Also, to allow facilities to create their own patchwork of rules is going to lead to nothing but confusion.
The reality is that 8 other states already allow this very thing, and some have had it for quite some time (more than a decade) In all that time there has never been one single incident of someone with a lawful carry permit committing a violent act. Why? Because these young men and women are actually the last people you need to worry about. The truth is, they are rarely ever involved in criminal acts. Think about it….they went to the trouble of paying almost a hundred bucks and going through a rigorous background check. And they’re going to screw that up because they got a “c”?
True they might less likely to do any criminal act however they are not immune to anger I mean that pure rage that temporarily shuts down foresight for consequence during the heat of an argument/fight/betrayal or just after a serious public humiliation(which college campuses do more often) on a normal day not even during an inebriated party frenzy….Look Guns dont go out to kill people but they do help( a lot) and somehow people tend to be less patient when they are adjacent………Remember people at college come from diffferent backgrounds and upbringings so I can have a gun and master my emotions but that dont mean the next person who I would probably be at loggerheads with can to