Deadline looms for guns on campus, water tests
House expected to pass bill allowing concealed handguns on college campuses
ATLANTA — A vote on whether licensed gun owners can bring handguns onto college campuses is expected today as lawmakers confront a key deadline.
Legislative rules require bills to pass at least one chamber by a certain point in the session to remain alive for the year. Lawmakers set that deadline, called “crossover day,” at the 28th day of this year’s 40-day session.
Here’s a look at some of the top issues expected to come up Friday:
GUNS ON CAMPUS
There’s little doubt the GOP-controlled House will approve legislation allowing licensed gun owners to have concealed handguns on public college campuses. The chamber easily passed the measure in 2016, followed by the Senate.
Republican Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed last year’s bill, shocking some in the party, and hasn’t taken a stance so far on this year’s version. The University System of Georgia has opposed any change to Georgia’s existing ban of concealed weapons on campus.
The measure would allow anyone 21 and older with a state-issued permit to carry a concealed handgun on campus. People could not carry guns in student housing or athletic venues.
TESTING FOR LEAD
As other parts of the country wrestle with lead problems in drinking water, Georgia senators want to get ahead of the issue.
A bill scheduled for a vote today will require all schools to test their water for lead by the middle of 2019.
The concern lies mainly with old drinking fountains that the bill’s sponsor says can have lead in the welding that bleeds into the water.
DRIVER’S LICENSES
So far, the House hasn’t planned a vote on a bill to add “ineligible voter” labels to driver’s licenses issued to immigrants with permission to be in the country. Rep. Alan Powell, R-Hartwell, said he thinks the state’s existing “limited-term” label is vague and clearly should state that people with those licenses can’t vote.