Second Amendment Victory: Georgia Governor Signs Historic Gun Rights Bill

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signed into law today what supporters call a historic victory for the Second Amendment.

The new law, called the “Safe Carry Protection Act”, vastly expands where guns will be allowed in the state.

As of July 1st, licensed gun owners in Georgia and visitors from 28 other states will be allowed to bring a gun into a bar without restrictions and carry a firearm into some government buildings. Under the law, school districts will be able to decide whether they want some employees to carry a firearm, and religious leaders can decide whether to allow licensed gun owners to carry guns into their church, synagogue or mosque.

Deal said the following about the bill:

“People who follow the rules can protect themselves and their families from people who don’t follow the rules. The Second Amendment should never be an afterthought. It should reside at the forefronts of our minds.”

While signing the bill, he said:

“Our state has some of the best protections for gun owners in the United States. And today we strengthen those rights protected by our nation’s most revered founding document.”

In addition to allowing licensed owners to carry in more places than ever, the bill also eliminates the fingerprinting requirement for renewing weapons carry licenses, prohibits the state from creating and maintaining a database of licensed weapons carriers, and repeals the state-required license for firearms dealers.