Georgia legislators bring back campus carry bill

Blakeley Bartee

Georgia lawmakers will consider legislation that would allow licensed gun owners to carry concealed weapons on Georgia’s public college campuses after Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed a similar bill last year.

Republican State Rep. Mandi Ballinger filed a bill Tuesday in the Georgia House that would allow anyone with a permit to carry concealed firearms on campus, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC).

To have a permit, one must be at least 21 years old and pass a background check. The bill would not allow guns in student housing and sports stadiums.

The new bill exempts on-campus childcare facilities, but otherwise, it is identical to the previous campus gun bill, House Bill 859, according to the AJC.

At Georgia Southern University, students can learn basic gun safety at the Shooting Sports Education Center, and the Office of Public Safety offers resources for active shooter training and crime prevention.