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GCO believes that citizens of Georgia and the United States have the right to own and carry the firearm of their choice for any reason other than to commit a crime. GCO works tirelessly to ensure that the rights of gun owners are not compromised by the Georgia General Assembly and local officials.
Some notable accomplishments to date include: Georgia Appeals Court ruling affirming GCO's position that Probate courts shall issue a GFL in 60 days; US Court of Appeals ruling affirming GCO's position that SSN and employer information are not required for a GFL application; Georgia Court of Appeals ruling affirming GCO's position that local ordinances may not bar GFL holders from carrying in parks. You can read all about current actions and the history behind our past actions under Categories in the right-hand column.
Please urge your legislators to pass both HB 257 and HB 89!
The Senate passed a version of HB 257 yesterday that includes authority to carry a firearm in restaurants and on mass transit, two decades old Georgia restrictions that interfere with a GCO member’s daily life.
We thought you would be interested in reading two news items just released.
(1) Another gunfight may be brewing in the Senate
Alice Johnson, the lobbyist representing Georgians for Gun Safety, smells a gunfight in the air.
She notes this morning that the Senate Rules Committee has put H.B. 257 on today’s calendar.
The bill adds constables to the list of law enforcement and judicial personnel permitted to pack heat in public buildings.
“The bill opens up the ‘public gathering’ section of the Georgia firearms code, and is a likely vehicle for language previously proposed by Rep. Tim Bearden in H.B. 89 and H.B. 915,” Johnson reports.
Sen. Mitch Seabaugh (R-Sharpsburg) asked for the bill last night, which makes it likely he would act as floor director for any amendments.
Parks have been the main target for those looking to lengthen the list of places where permitted owners can carry concealed.
The question is whether the National Rifle Association has any voice left in the Senate willing to re-start the fight over the right of employees to keep weapons in their cars parked on company lots.
GCO says anything that has Alice upset must be good for GCO.
(2) Giving Gunowners the Right to Carry Concealed on MARTA
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/shared-blogs/ajc/politicalinsider/index.html
Today’s coming gunfight in the Senate could get interesting.
We’re hearing the deal that’s been cut on amendments to H.B. 257 would allow those with the proper permits to carry concealed in restaurants — even those that serve alcohol — and on MARTA.
One scenario theorizes that, once the bill is sent back to the House for its decision on whether to agree or disagree, the NRA-backed portion to allow employees to keep guns in cars parked on company lots will again be added.
But we’re hearing that one Senate Democrat, J.B. Powell of Blythe, will offer an amendment to that effect on the Senate floor, to ensure that the fireworks start that much earlier.
Remember the MARTA bus stop robbery and shooting Monday morning? Why have a law that does not effect crime but disarms GCO members? GCO expects this to be good news for 2008!
The City of Atlanta has filed its response to GCO’s motion for summary judgment in a case in the Superior Court of Fulton County. GCO is suing Atlanta and several other Fulton County entities over ordinances banning the carrying of firearms in parks. In its response, Atlanta claims that its ordinance is a reasonable regulation on the discharge of firearms. Atlanta also claims that its ordinance is consistent with Georgia’s public gathering law. A copy of Atlanta’s response may be viewed here.
In January, GCO asked the City of Valdosta to repeal two sections of its ordinances. One bans carrying firearms in city parks and the other regulates the sale of firearms in the city. Despite repeated follow-ups to the city manager, GCO has not received a response. GCO now has sent the city a letter advising the city of GCO’s intentions to sue the city. Both letters may be viewed here.
GCO has settled its lawsuit in Fulton County Superior Court against Union City. GCO sued Fulton County and several municipalities in Fulton County that banned carrying firearms in their parks. Union City has repealed its ordinance and agreed to pay GCO its costs in bringing the lawsuit. Defendants remaining in the case are Fulton County and the cities of Atlanta, Roswell, Sandy Springs, and East Point.
GCO Member Jason Pye was published in the Covington News, with his article, Amendment Gets Day in Court, about the Heller case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. Please read Mr. Pye’s article, and please note that there is a “comments” section at the bottom.
GCO’s amicus brief in the Heller case is available here. Oral arguments are Tuesday.
Fulton County is considering a new ordinance at its March 19, 2008 meeting. The ordinance that currently bans guns and violates state preemption law is expected to be changed to:
Section 50-38. Discharge of Firearms and Possession of Other Weapons Prohibited.
No person shall discharge within any Fulton County park or recreational facility any firearm as defined by O.C.G.A. § 16-11-171, including but not limited to rifles, pistols, shotguns, BB guns, or pellet guns. No person shall use or possess within any Fulton County park or recreational facility any bow and arrow, slingshot, or any other device (other than a firearm as defined above) capable of throwing any projectile of any sort, including the hand throwing of rocks or stones intended to be used as weapons. This section shall not be operative in any specific area now designated or to be designated in the future as a rifle range, archery range, or any other specific area whose purpose is to allow the activities otherwise prohibited by this section.
GCO will continue to keep you informed of further developments.
GCO wishes to thank Concealed Carry Magazine for its permission to make available the article on GCO.
GCO has filed a motion for summary judgment in the Superior Court of Fulton County in a case where Fulton County and several municipalities within the county have bans on carrying firearms in their parks. Relying on clear legal precedent, including GCO’s win at the Court of Appeals in an identical case with Coweta County, GCO urges the court to rule in its favor without the necessity of a trial. In other developments in the Fulton County case, GCO has filed responses to motions to dismiss the case filed by Roswell and Sandy Springs. Those motions (to dismiss) will be heard April 4 at 2:30 in the Fulton County Justice Center Tower. Documents in this case may be viewed here.
A GCO member has settled a long-standing case in federal court against the Carroll County Probate Court. The first-ever case challenging the request for SSNs from GFL applicants resulted in an earlier settlement with the Georgia Department of Public Safety and a permanent change in the GFL application form (SSNs are no longer requested on the form, even optionally). In the settlement with the probate judge, Judge Betty B. Cason agreed not to request SSNs at all, represented that she purged all SSNs from her GFL application records, and agreed to pay $52,500 in costs and attorney’s fees. A copy of the settlement agreement can be viewed here.
Georgiacarry.org is a citizens advocacy group working toward the reform of Georgia's poorly written, overly restrictive, ignored by the courts gun laws.
