For the Fourth Year in a Row, the Georgia Chapter of Moms Demand Action Has Stood with College Students, Faculty and Parents Against Guns on Campus Bill
Moms Demand Action Volunteers Call on Governor Deal to Once Again Veto Guns on Campus; Polling Shows Allowing Guns on Campus is Overwhelmingly Opposed by Georgians
ATLANTA – The Georgia chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement in response to the passage of HB 280, which would force Georgia’s public colleges and universities to allow guns on campus, including in classrooms and at most campus events, including places where alcohol is served or consumed. The bill would even allow 18-year-olds with concealed carry permits from other states to carry hidden, loaded handguns on campus.
A bill similar to this one received a veto from Governor Nathan Deal in May 2016. Georgia’s campus stakeholders and law enforcement remain strongly opposed to this proposal. In addition, nearly 80 percent of Georgians oppose allowing guns on campus and the governor heard from more than 30,000 Georgians last spring asking him to veto the bill.
STATEMENT FROM LINDSEY DONOVAN, VOLUNTEER CHAPTER LEADER WITH THE GEORGIA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:
“It’s incredible how fixated our legislators remain on pushing through a bill opposed by their constituents and campus communities across our state. Some are claiming that this amended version of HB 280 is an acceptable replacement for what the Governor vetoed last year, but that just isn’t true. Governor Deal’s veto wasn’t asking for minor changes to the places where guns could be carried on campuses. His veto plainly stated what most Georgians know to be true – that guns on campus is a bad and dangerous idea. Governor Deal said that it would ‘require overwhelming justification’ to allow guns on campus. That justification didn’t exist a year ago and it certainly doesn’t exist now. Georgia Moms Demand Action volunteers implore the Governor to again veto the reckless guns on campus legislation that will soon hit his desk. Our families deserve better than this. We have to make sure Governor Deal knows that he has our support in stopping this legislation.”