frankwright
Senior Member
Time is running out. Read the email and I think you will agree the bill will remove some restrictions on legal firearm owners and clear up some questionable laws.
It only takes a few minutes to click on the email address of each member of the committee and ask them to please support and pass this bill.
Thanks!
"
Last Friday, February 28, SB 224 was read and assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bill is sponsored by GeorgiaCarry.Org. We have spent a great deal of time determining what we can get passed and how to proceed with the bill in the General Assembly, during a year that very few elected officials want to discuss a gun bill. Even though the Republicans ran on a strong pro-gun platform,many of them are wary of passing gun bills in this session. This is due mainly to the loss of 11 Republicans in the House of Representatives and the importance of the Republicans retaining the House in the next election. After the next election, it will be time for redistricting all the districts in the state which may effect all the elections in the next 10 years.
However, we remain optimistic that we will be able to pass this bill into law.
Senate Bill SB 224 - Crimes and Offenses; carrying of weapons in judicial courts by weapons carry license holders; provisions; revise
Contains the following provisions. The italicized wording is the explanation of why we are proposing each section of the bill.
Courthouse
Would change the definition of a Courthouse to the portion of the building occupied by the superior court and containing rooms in which superior court proceedings are held.
Courthouse are just specialized government buildings. The reason given for making courthouses off limits is because courts make decisions that have such far reaching and emotional effects on people’s lives. But that really is only true for superior courts, which have exclusive jurisdiction for felonies and family law. Many courthouses are also general county government buildings, containing offices for paying taxes, getting car tags, etc. Such offices are not off limits for GWL holders now, so they do not need to be included in the definition of a courthouse. By limiting courthouse to mean just the portion of the building where the superior courts are, we are making it easier for sheriffs to secure the portion of the building that really needs to be secure.
Churches
Would strike churches from the off-limits locations and treat them as private property.
Self-explanatory as churches are private property and should be under the same scrutiny as all other private property.
Misdemeanor conviction of controlled substance
Would strike the misdemeanor-controlled substance convictions as a disqualifier for a GWL.
There is no known correlation between past marijuana use and present safety involving firearms. Present users of illegal drugs are already prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms, so they are already ineligible for a GWL. Many municipalities have now started giving a ticket and fine for simple possession and there is no longer any adjudication.
Antique Firearms
Would change the definition of an antique firearm to:
'Antique firearm' shall having the same meaning as set forth in 44 C.F.R. Section52478.11.
Federal Law excludes antique firearms from the definition of firearms. In that respect, GA is more restrictive than federal law. Crimes committed with antique firearms are virtually nonexistent.
Knives
Current law makes it illegal for a person to carry a knife on public transportation or in the unsecured areas at the airport.
Corrects the possibility of being arrested for hijacking at the airport or on a Marta bus or train.
Would force the sale of confiscated and unclaimed firearms
All firearms in good working condition that are confiscated by any law enforcement authority, or political subdivision of the state must be sold at auction at least once in every 12 months. The sale would be open to all persons, although the sale would have to go through an FFL, like all sales do now. This also puts in place a mechanism of bringing suit against any entity who does not auction off their unclaimed firearms at least once every 12 months or refuses to sell to a private citizen.
The city of Atlanta has at least 10,000 firearms on hand but refuses to sell them as there is no penalty in current law to force them to do so. This bill would do just that. Current law also allows only FFL holders to bid on the unclaimed firearms. This bill would change to allow anyone to bid on a firearm.
Repeals Code Section 38-2-301
Code section currently gives the head of the organized militia the power to suspend the sales of firearms and ammo during a declared emergency.
This is the same basic power the governor had until HB60 and since the governor appoints the head of the militia, he still basically possesses that power.
Creates Code Section 50-21-50
The defense of sovereign immunity is waived as to any claim, counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim brought in the courts of this state by an aggrieved person unable to acquire a firearm under subsection (g) of Code Section 17-5-54. This Code section shall not be construed to alter or amend any other waiver of sovereign immunity provided by law."
Because we are creating a means of enforcing the auction requirement of seized firearms, we have to specify that there is no immunity from such enforcement.
Creates Code Section 51-3-4
An owner or occupier of private property who does not restrict the lawful possession of firearms on such private property shall not be liable for any civil claims or damages arising out of a theory that such owner or occupier should have or could have restricted the lawful possession of firearms on such private property."
Property owners should not be sued just because they do no ban guns on their private or business property.
There are other provisions we would like to see in the bill and will try to get them added in committee.
We need all members to contact the below named members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, especially Committee Chairman, Jesse Stone requesting a hearing by the full committee on SB224. Also, contact your senator and let him/her know you want SB224 passed out of the Senate always remembering to be polite and brief in your correspondence to all elected officials.
The Committee members are listed below.
Senate Judiciary Committee
Committee Members
Stone, JesseChairman
jesse.stone@senate.ga.gov
Phone: (404) 463-1314
Fax: (404) 463-1381
Cowsert, BillVice Chairman
Email - bill.cowsert@senate.ga.gov
Phone: (404) 463-1366
Fax: (404) 657-9887
Tillery, BlakeSecretary
blake.tillery@senate.ga.gov
Atlanta, GA 30334
Phone: (404) 656-0089
Heath, BillMember
billheath@billheath.net
Phone: (404) 656-3943
Fax: (404) 463-2279
Kennedy, John F.Member
john.kennedy@senate.ga.gov
Phone: (404) 656-0045
Fax: (404) 651-6768
Ligon, Jr., William T.Member
william.ligon@senate.ga.gov
Phone: (404) 463-1383
Strickland, BrianMember
brian.strickland@senate.ga.gov
Phone: (404) 656-7454
We know it is getting late in the session but remain confident in our ability to pass this legislation into law."
===================
http://www.georgiacarry.org/
It only takes a few minutes to click on the email address of each member of the committee and ask them to please support and pass this bill.
Thanks!
"
Last Friday, February 28, SB 224 was read and assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bill is sponsored by GeorgiaCarry.Org. We have spent a great deal of time determining what we can get passed and how to proceed with the bill in the General Assembly, during a year that very few elected officials want to discuss a gun bill. Even though the Republicans ran on a strong pro-gun platform,many of them are wary of passing gun bills in this session. This is due mainly to the loss of 11 Republicans in the House of Representatives and the importance of the Republicans retaining the House in the next election. After the next election, it will be time for redistricting all the districts in the state which may effect all the elections in the next 10 years.
However, we remain optimistic that we will be able to pass this bill into law.
Senate Bill SB 224 - Crimes and Offenses; carrying of weapons in judicial courts by weapons carry license holders; provisions; revise
Contains the following provisions. The italicized wording is the explanation of why we are proposing each section of the bill.
Courthouse
Would change the definition of a Courthouse to the portion of the building occupied by the superior court and containing rooms in which superior court proceedings are held.
Courthouse are just specialized government buildings. The reason given for making courthouses off limits is because courts make decisions that have such far reaching and emotional effects on people’s lives. But that really is only true for superior courts, which have exclusive jurisdiction for felonies and family law. Many courthouses are also general county government buildings, containing offices for paying taxes, getting car tags, etc. Such offices are not off limits for GWL holders now, so they do not need to be included in the definition of a courthouse. By limiting courthouse to mean just the portion of the building where the superior courts are, we are making it easier for sheriffs to secure the portion of the building that really needs to be secure.
Churches
Would strike churches from the off-limits locations and treat them as private property.
Self-explanatory as churches are private property and should be under the same scrutiny as all other private property.
Misdemeanor conviction of controlled substance
Would strike the misdemeanor-controlled substance convictions as a disqualifier for a GWL.
There is no known correlation between past marijuana use and present safety involving firearms. Present users of illegal drugs are already prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms, so they are already ineligible for a GWL. Many municipalities have now started giving a ticket and fine for simple possession and there is no longer any adjudication.
Antique Firearms
Would change the definition of an antique firearm to:
'Antique firearm' shall having the same meaning as set forth in 44 C.F.R. Section52478.11.
Federal Law excludes antique firearms from the definition of firearms. In that respect, GA is more restrictive than federal law. Crimes committed with antique firearms are virtually nonexistent.
Knives
Current law makes it illegal for a person to carry a knife on public transportation or in the unsecured areas at the airport.
Corrects the possibility of being arrested for hijacking at the airport or on a Marta bus or train.
Would force the sale of confiscated and unclaimed firearms
All firearms in good working condition that are confiscated by any law enforcement authority, or political subdivision of the state must be sold at auction at least once in every 12 months. The sale would be open to all persons, although the sale would have to go through an FFL, like all sales do now. This also puts in place a mechanism of bringing suit against any entity who does not auction off their unclaimed firearms at least once every 12 months or refuses to sell to a private citizen.
The city of Atlanta has at least 10,000 firearms on hand but refuses to sell them as there is no penalty in current law to force them to do so. This bill would do just that. Current law also allows only FFL holders to bid on the unclaimed firearms. This bill would change to allow anyone to bid on a firearm.
Repeals Code Section 38-2-301
Code section currently gives the head of the organized militia the power to suspend the sales of firearms and ammo during a declared emergency.
This is the same basic power the governor had until HB60 and since the governor appoints the head of the militia, he still basically possesses that power.
Creates Code Section 50-21-50
The defense of sovereign immunity is waived as to any claim, counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party claim brought in the courts of this state by an aggrieved person unable to acquire a firearm under subsection (g) of Code Section 17-5-54. This Code section shall not be construed to alter or amend any other waiver of sovereign immunity provided by law."
Because we are creating a means of enforcing the auction requirement of seized firearms, we have to specify that there is no immunity from such enforcement.
Creates Code Section 51-3-4
An owner or occupier of private property who does not restrict the lawful possession of firearms on such private property shall not be liable for any civil claims or damages arising out of a theory that such owner or occupier should have or could have restricted the lawful possession of firearms on such private property."
Property owners should not be sued just because they do no ban guns on their private or business property.
There are other provisions we would like to see in the bill and will try to get them added in committee.
We need all members to contact the below named members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, especially Committee Chairman, Jesse Stone requesting a hearing by the full committee on SB224. Also, contact your senator and let him/her know you want SB224 passed out of the Senate always remembering to be polite and brief in your correspondence to all elected officials.
The Committee members are listed below.
Senate Judiciary Committee
Committee Members
Stone, JesseChairman
jesse.stone@senate.ga.gov
Phone: (404) 463-1314
Fax: (404) 463-1381
Cowsert, BillVice Chairman
Email - bill.cowsert@senate.ga.gov
Phone: (404) 463-1366
Fax: (404) 657-9887
Tillery, BlakeSecretary
blake.tillery@senate.ga.gov
Atlanta, GA 30334
Phone: (404) 656-0089
Heath, BillMember
billheath@billheath.net
Phone: (404) 656-3943
Fax: (404) 463-2279
Kennedy, John F.Member
john.kennedy@senate.ga.gov
Phone: (404) 656-0045
Fax: (404) 651-6768
Ligon, Jr., William T.Member
william.ligon@senate.ga.gov
Phone: (404) 463-1383
Strickland, BrianMember
brian.strickland@senate.ga.gov
Phone: (404) 656-7454
We know it is getting late in the session but remain confident in our ability to pass this legislation into law."
===================
http://www.georgiacarry.org/
