Lesli Marchese, Campus Carrier News Editor
Changes to state legislation could soon allow students at Georgia public colleges and universities to carry concealed weapons on campus.
Georgia’s bill for “Campus Carry” (Ga. House Bill 859) was approved by the state House last week. This bill will “authorize the carrying and possession of handguns” by anyone 21 or older, with a valid weapons license, on all Georgia public college or university campuses.
This bill doesn’t allow weapons inside residence halls, including fraternity and sorority houses, or in spaces used for athletic sporting events.
The bill has been referred to the state Senate and had a full hearing Wednesday afternoon. According to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, 39 people testified for almost three hours on both sides of the debate.
However, the panel delayed action on the bill until next week.
Private institutions, like Berry, will have the choice on whether or not to adopt the Campus Carry policy if the bill is passed into law. However, all public institutions will be required to adopt the law.
The Red & Black, the University of Georgia’s independent student newspaper, recently published an article about the amount of Georgia students and faculty that have spoken out against the bill, with the fear that campus crime and lethal violence will increase.
Additionally, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a national organization of mothers against guns, has been furiously opposing the Campus Carry bill in many states.
“Passing legislation that forces our colleges and universities to allow anyone with a concealed carry permit to carry a gun on campus is a shame for student safety,” said Lindsey Donovan, a volunteer with the Georgia chapter of Moms Demand Action, in a statement released on their website. “Four out of five Georgians believe guns have no place on campus. We urge the Georgia Senate to reject this dangerous bill and to not add guns to environments rife with alcohol, drugs, and academic pressures.”
However, many Georgia officials in favor of the bill believe that it will allow students and other people on campuses to protect themselves in emergency situations, along with allowing them the opportunity to hunt and use them for other recreational activities.
The original intent of the bill, according to Gov. Nathan Deal, is to provide students with a way to defend themselves, along with upholding the Second Amendment rights of citizens. State Rep. Rick Jasperse refers to the bill as the “Campus Safety Act,” which he calls “a real world solution to a real world problem” to address student safety on campus, according to the AJC.
Georgia is not alone in this proposed legislation – Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin have all passed legislation that allows for people to have concealed weapons on public university campuses.
According to the National Conference of State Legislators, there are currently 23 states that give universities the choice to ban or allow concealed carry weapons at the discretion of the college and 19 states that ban those weapons from college campuses completely.
An alternative version of the Campus Carry bill also just recently cleared the House.
Ga. House Bill 792 would allow anyone who is considered a student or employee of Georgia public institutions to carry “electroshock weapons,” better known as Tasers and stun guns, while “in or on any building or real property owned by or leased to a public institution of postsecondary education.” This bill includes the use of these weapons by minors who are dual-enrolling at local universities.
This bill has been referred to the Georgia Senate, but a date has yet to be set for a vote.