SB 224 Passed in Senate Judiciary Committee!
But, the work is not over as we now need to contact more elected officials and press for passage in the Senate of SB224. We also want to continue to push for a hearing on SB449.
Thanks to you, our members continue pressure on the Senate Judiciary Committee, last evening SB 224 by substitute, was passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and now heads to the Senate Rules Committee awaiting assignment to the Senate Floor where it will either pass the Senate on to the House or will be defeated on the Senate floor. The explanation of the substitute bill is further down this email.
It should be noted that when Chairman Stone asked Senator Heath how this bill would harmonize with SB357, Senator Heath responded that he was a sponsor of SB224 and would like to see it passed and if it does pass, he would withdraw SB357 and support SB224. Senator Heath also mentioned that there is a so-called Second Amendment Group that has opposed every good gun bill in the last several years and asked if there were any Georgia Gun Owners members in the audience. Crickets!
The vote came at about 8:15 PM last evening and was a 5 to 3 vote along party lines. And, the three Democrats that voted against passage of the bill were none too happy. In fact, Senator Elena Parent sent out the following tweet – ” GA Senate Judiciary cmte just passed a truly horrific gun bill (SB 224) out of committee. Guns in churches & courthouses, felons & other convicts allowed to have a variety of firearms, & changed definition of aggravated assault to make brandishing a firearm A-OK. Etc.” Anyone with any understanding of the bill will recognize the tweet for what it is – a total misdirection of what the bill actually does.
We need to all contact the Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow thanking them for their support of our bill. That is, the members listed below who voted for our bill.
Atlanta, GA 30334
Office: (404) 463-1314
Fax: (404) 463-1381
Waynesboro, GA 30830
Office: (706) 554-5223
Fax: (478) 237-9211
Atlanta, GA 30334
Office: (404) 463-1366
Fax: (404) 657-9887
Atlanta, GA 30334
Office: (404) 656-0089
Atlanta, GA 30334
Office: (404) 656-3943
Fax: (404) 463-2279
Atlanta, GA 30334
Office: (404) 656-0045
Fax: (404) 651-6768
Atlanta, GA 30334
Office: (404) 463-1383
Atlanta, GA 30334
Office: (404) 656-7454
We need to continue to contact Chairman Jesse Stone requesting a hearing on SB449, along with your Senator if he/she is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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We also need to turn our efforts towards getting SB224 out of the Rules Committee and on to the Senate Floor for a vote by contacting Rules Committee Chairman Jeff Mullis and any of your Senators who sit on the Rules Committee. Those members can be found here.
Senator Jeff Mullis
Capitol Office
Atlanta, GA 30334
Office: (404) 656-0057
Fax: (404) 651-6768
Chickamauga, GA 30707
Office: (706) 375-1776
Please contact Chairman Mullis and your Senator if he/she is on the committee.
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Please continue to contact the Lt. Governor, requesting him to bring SB224 to a floor vote.
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Begin Contacting Senate Pro Tempore, Butch Miller requesting he bring SB224 to the Senate Floor for a vote. His contact information is below:
Senator Butch Miller, Senate Pro Tempore
Capitol Office
321 State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334
Office: (404) 656-6578email: butch.miller@senate.ga.gov
District Information
Gainesville, GA 30504
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Continue to contact Speaker David Ralston and tell him you want a good gun bill introduced in the House similar to SB 224. His contact information is:
332 State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334
404.656.5020 – Office
404.656.5644 – Fax
PO Box 188
Blue Ridge, GA 30513
706.632.2221 – Office
706.632.6193 – Fax