Cagle: 'No Appetitie' For New Gun Bill

Michael Knighton of Phenix City, Ala., fires his Ruger pistol at an indoor firing range at Shooters Columbus gun shop in Columbus, Ga. The gun emits a muzzle flash of light as the bullet leaves the barrel. (File photo/Dave Bender)

Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle says he doesn't like the idea of loosening the state's concealed weapons laws to allow guns in more public places.

Cagle told reporters today he has "no appetite" for a plan to expand where people with concealed weapons permits may bring a gun, including churches and college campuses. A state senate committee is looking at the issue. Last session, lawmakers approved a bill that permits concealed weapons in state parks, restaurants that serve alcohol and on public transportation.

Cagle, who presides over the state Senate, said state lawmakers "dealt with this issue last year and I think people should be content with where we are."

Last session, lawmakers approved a House Bill 89 that permits concealed weapons in state parks, restaurants that serve alcohol and on public transportation.

(AP)

Click here for more GPB News coverage about HB 89.

Changes to GAs gun bill possible in '09

Changes to the state's gun laws could be in the works as the State Senate Firearms Committee looks at re-writing House Bill 89, passed earlier this year. One proposal under consideration … speeding up the application permit process. In a working copy of a revised gun bill, the Senate is considering cutting in half the number of days probate judges must get permits to would-be gun owners after fingerprints have been cleared by the FBI and the GBI. Current law says ten days. The proposal now being considered is five days. If a licensed is not issued within five days, the gun owner can sue.

William Self is Bibb County's probate judge. He also chairs the Georgia Probate Judges Council. He opposes the switch.

"I am quite frankly gentlemen, at a complete loss to understand why probate judges became the apparent enemies of gun rights' advocates."

Testifying before the Senate Firearms Safety Committee on Tuesday, Self asked lawmakers to remove the threat of lawsuits from gun enthusiast now hanging over the heads of the state 159 probate judges.

"This is the only statue I know of in the entire state of Georgia which purports to award attorneys fees to a plaintiff without any defense whatsoever if 10 days have expired from receipt of the reports."

Among other changes the committee will consider is including some misdemeanor offenses currently now trigger a reject on a gun permit application.

"There are literally hundreds of misdemeanors under GA law, which even with multiple convictions, do not by themselves disqualify an applicant, such as assault and battery, third degree cruelty to children…"

Here's how state Senator Don Balfour of Snellville responded to the testimony.

"Some of those things seem like whoa, we missed that one? Wow. Some of those we ought to think about putting under there."

The Senate committee now wants a list of misdemeanors to consider as part of the law. Meanwhile another idea is to leave judges completely out of the gun license procedure and hand it over to the Secretary of State. One drawback say Probate Judges is that the Secretary of State's office is not a law enforcement agency. Finally, a representative from the Georgia Council of Probate Court Judges asked the committee to consider raising gun permit application fees above the current $15, to cover actual administrative and processing costs. The Senate committee is expected to make recommendation to changes in Georgia gun laws by January.

Ga. lawmakers mulling more guns in more places

Phenix City, Ala., resident Michael Knighton fires his Ruger pistol at an indoor firing range at Shooters Columbus gun shop in Columbus, Ga. The gun emits a flash of light as the bullet leaves the barrel. (File photo/Dave Bender)

Georgia lawmakers are considering allowing guns in more public places, including churches and on university campuses.

Religious leaders spoke out against the change Tuesday at a hearing of a state Senate study committee looking at Georgia's firearms laws.

University officials said they support the current law, which bans guns on campuses.

Both churches and universities have been plagued by deadly shootings in recent years.

Some gun rights supporters said the death toll would not have been so high if parishioners and students had been armed and able to protect themselves.

Earlier this year, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed House Bill 89, which allows guns in state parks, mass transit and in restaurants that serve alcohol.

(The Associated Press)

Click here for more GPB News coverage of this issue.

Senate Committee looks at Georgia gun laws.

A State senate committee looking to expand the number of places where guns can be carried in the state.

Gun lobby groups were successful in passing HB 89 this year. It allows people with gun permits to carry weapons onto public transportation, into state parks and some restaurants. Now they want to repeal a ban on carrying guns to public gatherings, including churches.

Ed Stone is with the group Georgia Carry. He told a senate committee that gun permit holders can be useful. "You don't see crazy people going to gun shows or police stations to shoot them up, he says. "They go to places where they know people are unarmed like in school or in church."

Gun safety advocates worry that untrained gun owners could hurt people. The state does not require weapons training to get a carry permit. The Senate committee will meet at least 3 more times before making recommendations on gun laws to the full state senate next year.

Lamaker vows to take gun to the airport

The Lawmaker who sponsored HB 89 says he will carry his gun to the airport today.
Republican state representative Tim Bearden told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that the law allows him to take his gun when he picks up family at the worlds busiest airport today.

Airport officials say if he shows up with a gun he will be arrested, but Bearden says if they do so he will sue.

The new law going into effect today allows those with a concealed weapons permit to carry guns onto public transport, into parks and restaurants where alcohol is being served. Federal law prohibits firearms behind the airport security gates, but it's not clear whether that law extends to the main terminal.

Ga. tops U.S. as source for recovered crime guns

Guns bought in Georgia were recovered from more crime scenes nationwide in 2007 than those bought in other states. The review of federal data by The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence shows 2,600 guns were traced to Georgia gun stores.

That figure ranks Georgia first, ahead of Florida and Texas, as a source for guns recovered in other states. Most weapons seized in Georgia crimes were also purchased here.

Alice Johnson, with Georgians for Gun Safety, says the numbers reflect Georgia’s gun-friendly reputation: “It’s a function of weak gun laws, easy access to firearms, significant numbers of gun shows, and swap meets, and flea markets, where these guns are sold without a background check.”

Some gun-rights advocates have criticized the report as misleading and insist, if anything, Georgia gun laws are too restrictive. In July, a new law will allow gun owners with permits to carry weapons on mass transit, into restaurants and in public parks.

(updated)