Georgia’s governor Tuesday signed a bill into law that will allow residents of the state to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.
“I certainly want to thank all of those legislators – many of them – that along with us have been pushing to get this bill across the finish line for a long time,” Governor Brian Kemp (R) said in the bill-signing ceremony at Gable Sporting Goods in Douglasville.
“SB 319 makes sure law abiding Georgians – including my daughters and your family too – can protect themselves without having to have the permission from your state government,” he said. “The Constitution of the United States gives us that right, not the government.
The new legislation, known as a “Constitutional Carry” law, is part of a nationwide trend among conservatives to allow law-abiding citizens to conceal weapons without a permit. Georgia becomes the 24th state to pass such a law.
Kemp made good on his 2018 campaign promise to effect such legislation.
He also signed another bill, HB 218, into law. That law allows for reciprocity with other states that have concealed carry laws. That means that Georgians can still obtain a concealed carry permit and travel to any other state that also offers such reciprocity, where they may conceal their firearms.
“I have no doubt that the Left will come out against us like they have before,” Kemp said. “If you remember, they did it when we passed the heartbeat bill. They did it when we were the first state to reopen our economy, and they did it again when we passed the strongest elections integrity act in the country. But you know what? We didn’t back down then, and we ain’t backing down now.”
Kemp also touted the General Assembly’s efforts to combat gang violence, and end human trafficking and street racing.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) applauded the Georgia Senate’s passing of the bill just two weeks ago.
“NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) applauds the Georgia legislature for passing Senate Bill 319, NRA-backed legislation that allows law-abiding gun owners to carry a firearm without a permit from the state,” that organization said in an April 1 statement.
Georgia is not the only state to pass such a law this year.
Gov. Mike DeWine (R) in Ohio signed a Constitutional Carry bill into law last month.
Both governors face stiff primary challengers in their bids for re-election this year.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Kemp Signs Constitutional Carry” by Governor Brian Kemp.
