Georgia joins over 20 states that allow constitutional carry
On April 13, Georgia's Republican Governor Brian Kemp signed SB319 into law meaning that constitutional carry of handguns is now legal in the state. In practice it means that any qualifying person can own and carry a handgun without first applying for a permit or having to undergo training.
Background checks will still be carried out when buying a handgun however.
In adopting constitutional carry into law, Georgia joins over 20 other states including Texas that allow permit-less carry of handguns. In the neighboring state of Florida, their constitutional carry bill was rejected during the state's legislative season. Since then, the state's Governor Ron DeSantis' has demanded that state legislators revisit the matter.
Is constitutional positive or negative for Georgia?
Commenting on the bill, Governor Kemp had this to say:
“SB 319 makes sure that law abiding Georgians, including our daughters, and your family too, can protect themselves without having to have permission from your state government. The Constitution of the United States gives us that right, not the government.”
Constitutional carry was recently approved in the state of Indiana, in spite of initially being rejected in committee discussions. It is now possible to carry a gun openly in the state. Ohio and Alabama also adopted constitutional carry during this legislative season.
Constitutional carry took effect in Texas in September 2021 - allowing handguns to be carried in the state without any requirement for licenses, training, finger-printing for gun-owners or even a shooting proficiency test for anyone wanting to buy a handgun.
In the first 7 days after the law changed in Texas on September 1 there were 35 gun-related deaths and 7 injuries - 15 of those deaths occurred in Houston alone.
What happens next?
Constitutional carry allows residents to carry a concealed firearm without a license, with the exception of convicted felons and those who have been treated for certain mental health issues in the last five years. What effects it has upon crime levels remains to be seen.
What do you think about constitutional carry now being allowed in Georgia? Do you believe it will make the state safer with law-abiding citizens being allowed to carry a concealed gun? Let me know in the comments section below.
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