{"id":100990,"date":"2018-11-28T08:00:21","date_gmt":"2018-11-28T13:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=100990"},"modified":"2018-11-28T08:00:21","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T14:18:38","slug":"georgia-lawmaker-introduces-constitutional-carry-legislation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/georgia-lawmaker-introduces-constitutional-carry-legislation\/","title":{"rendered":"Georgia Lawmaker Introduces Constitutional Carry Legislation"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Georgia<\/a>

Constitutional Carry allows one to bear arms in the manner the founders intended. No permit, fees or background checks required. (Photo: NRA-ILA<\/em>)<\/p><\/div>\n

Georgians may soon be able to carry a concealed firearm in public without a permit.<\/p>\n

Last week state Rep. Matt Gurtler (R-Tiger) introduced HB2<\/a>, a Constitutional Carry bill.<\/p>\n

Under the status quo, residents must pay a fee of around $75, register with Big Brother and pass a background check before they are given a license that allows them to bear concealed arms.<\/p>\n

Rep. Gurtler believes that this Shall-Issue process flies in the face of the Second Amendment.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs it stands now, law-abiding Georgians are taxed millions of dollars annually for exercising their God-given natural rights of self-defense,\u201d Gurtler said, as reported by The AJC<\/a>. \u201cUnder the (U.S) Constitution and in accordance with our Founding Fathers, \u2018shall not be infringed\u2019 is a no-compromise statement.\u201d<\/p>\n

While HB2 faces an uphill battle in the Legislature, it does have the backing of governor-elect Brian Kemp, a Republican.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m just really thrilled that we actually have a governor that has gotten behind constitutional carry,” said Gutler in an interview with 11Alive News<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“I don\u2019t believe it\u2019s radical at all. I think it\u2019s conservative. It\u2019s constitutional,” Gurtler continued. “In the constitution it says (the right to keep and bear arms) ‘shall not be infringed.’ We believe that\u2019s a no-compromise statement.”<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO:\u00a0Why Do Alabama Sheriffs Oppose Constitutional Carry? It\u2019s All About the Money!<\/a><\/h2>\n

The permitting system wouldn\u2019t be completely upended if HB2 were to become law. Permits would still be available for those who wanted to carry outside the state where Georgia has reciprocity agreements in place.<\/p>\n

It also wouldn\u2019t change the law on who can lawfully carry firearms. felons, minors, mental defectives, among other prohibited persons, would still be prohibited from possessing firearms let alone bearing them.<\/p>\n

11Alive News ran a poll in the Spring, presumably after the shooting in Parkland, Florida, that found most Georgians preferred stricter gun laws. According to the poll results:<\/p>\n