Georgia Republicans Reintroduce Campus Carry Despite Governor’s Opposition

Georgia state Representative Mandi Ballinger (R-Canton) reintroduced campus carry Tuesday despite the fact that Governor Nathan Deal (R) sided with Michael Bloomberg-funded Everytown for Guns Safety and vetoed similar legislation last year.

Deal vetoed campus carry on May 3, 2016, after arguing for its passage months earlier.

But Ballinger is determined, and WABE reports that she and 15 co-sponsors are pushing campus carry during the 2017 legislative session. The bill allows concealed carry permit holders to carry on public college and university campuses for self-defense, but “does not allow guns in student housing and sports stadiums.”

Currently, the National Conference of State Legislatures shows Georgia as one of only “17 states that ban concealed weapons on college campuses.” The other 16 states are “California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina and Wyoming.” Twenty-four states allow college and universities to make their own decisions on campus carry. Those 24 states are “Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.”

Eight states have provisions or court decisions protecting concealed carry on college and university campuses. Those eight are “Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.” Tennessee also has campus carry, but for faculty only at this point.

It should be noted that campus carry is currently being considered in Wyoming–where it has already passed the House–and it is before the legislature in Florida again as well.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.