Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) signed campus carry into law on Thursday. Now, campus carry is the law of the land in one-fifth of the U.S. states. It was just last year the Deal vetoed campus carry in Georgia because there was a lack of an exemption for daycare facilities on public college and university campuses. In March of this year, Georgia lawmakers sent campus carry to Deal for a second time, and this time it included an exemption for the daycare facilities.
The newly submitted campus carry bill also added other exemptions to include dormitories, fraternity and sorority houses, and buildings used for athletic events. Deal signed the campus carry legislation–HB 280–and, according to Get Schooled, released a statement saying:
It is altogether appropriate that weapons not be allowed in sensitive areas on college campuses, and I appreciate the thoughtful consideration given by the General Assembly in expanding these excluded areas within a college campus in this year’s bill. While HB 280 addresses the rights and restrictions relating to weapons carry license holders on a college campus … [its] effect may have greater significance for students who are going to or coming from a campus. Unfortunately, in parts of the state, the path to higher education travels through dangerous territory. At the present time, assailants can, and do, target these students knowing full well that their victims are not permitted to carry protection, even those who are weapons carry license holders, because they are either going to or coming from a campus where no weapons are allowed. In recent years, we’ve witnessed college students fall victim to violent attacks in or while traveling to libraries and academic buildings, and while traveling to and from their homes to class.
“We are happy to see the campus carry bill signed into law,” gun advocate, Jerry Henry, said. “It now means there is one less place for criminals to literally pick their victims simply by determining where they are standing or walking. As with all good firearm legislation, this is one more place where the playing field is now level. Even though there are several places on campus that are still off limits, the crook will still face the possibility of putting themselves in harm’s way when attacking persons on campuses who may now be armed.”
Campus carry is currently law in Colorado, Utah, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Oregon, Texas, and Idaho. Campus carry will take effect in Kansas on July 1, 2017 and in Arkansas on September 15, 2017. The addition of Georgia makes ten campus carry states.
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