Gov. Brian Kemp calls for loosening gun restrictions
hriggall@mdjonline.com
SMYRNA — Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday called on the Georgia General Assembly to pass a “constitutional carry” bill during the upcoming legislative session, a measure which would eliminate the need for a permit for Georgians to carry guns in public.
“In the face of rising violent crime across the country, law-abiding citizens should have their constitutional rights protected, not undermined,” Kemp said, flanked by supporters at Adventure Outdoors, a gun store and popular stop on the campaign trail for Republicans. “And while this position has recently become popular for others as we enter the campaign season, my position has remained the same. I believe the United States Constitution grants citizens of our state the right to carry a firearm without state government approval.”
Under current state law, Georgians can carry a concealed gun if they have a permit. Applying for the permit includes a fee, and the permits require applicants to be 21 or older (with exceptions for military), be Georgia residents, be a U.S. citizen or legal resident, have no felony convictions, have no drug convictions and have not been in a mental hospital in the past five years, among other requirements.
Kemp pitched the policy as a remedy to liberal cities and states that have “demonized law enforcement, defunded local police departments, undermined public safety and threatened the security of countless American families.” He was joined at the announcement by former Congressman Bob Barr and National Rifle Association official Willes Lee, who announced the NRA’s 2025 annual meeting will be held in Atlanta.
The governor wouldn’t get into details about the proposal, deferring to state legislators who will write the legislation. Several versions of a constitutional carry law have been proposed before.
State Rep. Ed Setzler, R-Acworth, told the MDJ he expects there would still be restrictions on who could carry a gun, but the permit would be eliminated.
“The vast majority of people are lawabiding citizens,” Setzler said. “But this proposal doesn’t change in any way lawbreakers, or those who are not competent to carry firearms because they’ve lost that right, doesn’t change that at all. That will stay in place.”
Setzler echoed Kemp’s argument that the law would protect people against crime instead of increasing violence.
“When you think about how gun-free zones are used by criminals to prey upon the innocent, it’s saddening and sickening,” Setzler said. “Strengthening someone’s basic right to self-protection works in tandem with law enforcement. … Law enforcement can’t be everywhere. As they say, if you’re being attacked, when seconds count, law enforcement is minutes away. ”
Kemp’s announcement comes as he faces a primary challenge from former U.S. Sen. David Perdue, who has the backing of Donald Trump.
“I’m glad Brian Kemp is answering my call for constitutional carry in Georgia,” Perdue said in a statement. “But real leaders lead from the start — not from behind — and it’s time Georgia had a Governor who shows principled leadership when it matters most. That’s exactly what I’ll deliver on day one.”
Democrats, who criticized the proposal as reckless, were quick to say that Kemp is pushing constitutional carry to save his career and appeal to Republican primary voters.
Lauren Groh-Wargo, campaign manager for Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams, referenced Kemp’s famous ad from the 2018 election where he held a gun next to an actor who was “interested in one of (his) daughters.”
“The same guy who pointed a gun at a teenager on TV now panders with reckless proposals threatening Georgia lives,” Groh-Wargo said on Twitter. “As her opponents run to dangerous extremes and fight desperately to salvage their political careers, Stacey Abrams is fighting for Georgians and their safety.”
In a statement, the Georgia Democratic Party said Kemp was endangering Georgians for the sake of his reelection campaign.
“Kemp’s reckless proposal to make our state less safe is nothing more than a desperate ploy to appeal to the GOP’s increasingly far-right base — and we know David Perdue would sell Georgians out to the gun lobby just the same,” said spokesperson Rebecca Galanti. “As Brian Kemp and David Perdue remain locked in a race to the bottom and Georgia Republicans hijack the upcoming legislative session for political theater, Democrats remain focused on protecting Georgians’ lives and making our state a safe place for families to prosper.”
U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Marietta, criticized Kemp for proposing the law less than a year after the mass shootings at three metro Atlanta spas. McBath worked as a gun control activist before being elected, inspired by her 17-year-old son’s murder by a gunman in 2012.
“My own son was murdered in a senseless act of gun violence, and we cannot continue to let those who know nothing of gun safety put the lives of our children on the line,” McBath said. “These irresponsible laws are dangerous for law enforcement, dangerous for families, and they have no place in our state. We must do better.”
Asked why he was bringing constitutional carry to the forefront now, Kemp said support was strong and his administration had been busy with other priorities, such as the antiabortion “heartbeat bill,” raises for teachers and combating the pandemic.
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