The fight for Constitutional Carry has taken a very ominous turn here in Atlanta. Please read this entire email very carefully and then send two emails using the action links below!
As everyone knows, the State Senate passed Constitutional Carry (SB-319) just a few days ago. In a hilarious display of bi-partisanship Senate Republicans AND Senate Democrats complained about the pressure they received from GGO members. It was great.
But then SB-319 was sent over to the House. And insiders are reporting to GGO that Speaker David Ralston has ordered the Public Safety Committee to ‘sit on’ this bill, meaning kill it!
In lieu of SB-319, Speaker Ralston has ordered Rep. Mandi Ballinger to file HB-1358 which the House is referring to as their Constitutional Carry companion bill.
But here’s the deal, HB-1358 is FAR more restrictive than SB-319 and would exclude a massive number of Georgians from being able to exercise the freedoms that Constitutional Carry provides.
To summarize, GGO’s Constitutional Carry legislation (SB-319) applies to anyone who can legally own a firearm. The Ralston/Ballinger bill only applies to people who qualify for a concealed carry permit here in Georgia.
Sounds like a slight change, right? It’s not. If HB-1358 passes as written, Constitutional Carry would NOT APPLY to people who:
>>> Have any pending legal proceedings; meaning a traffic ticket would be enough to deny you your right to keep and bear arms.
>>> Have voluntarily gone to a treatment center for alcohol abuse in the previous five years; meaning that even without a criminal conviction, you would be denied Constitutional Carry.
>>> Have received any conviction for a drug offense; federal law doesn’t restrict people unless they are addicted to drugs and are currently using them. HB-3158 goes far beyond that!
This is disgusting. It’s not what the other 21 states that have Constitutional Carry have done, and it’s nowhere near what Georgians deserve from our legislature!
That’s why you must contact the House Rules Committee today and insist that they fix this mess with an amendment when they consider HB-1358.
<<< TELL THE RULES COMMITTEE TO FIX HB-1358! >>>
Of course, the easiest way to solve this problem is for the House Public Safety Committee to stop blocking SB-319. This legislation has already been approved by two committees and has passed the Senate.
If the House Public Safety Committee would simply move this bill, the House could vote on a pure Constitutional Carry bill and Georgians could have the freedoms that we all deserve!
But this committee will not take action on this bill unless they feel tremendous heat from grassroots gun owners. And that’s why I am counting on you to send a second email today, this time to the Public Safety Committee, telling them to move SB-319!
<<< EMAIL THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE NOW! >>>
Gun owners have fought like hell for Constitutional Carry for years and we’re closer than ever to making it a reality here in Georgia. But David Ralston hates gun owners and is determined to crush this bill — or weaken it severely.
Don’t let them get away with it!
Send your emails (both of them) right away so that the politicians in Atlanta understand that you are not being fooled by HB-1358 and that you expect them to pass SB-319!
Then, share this email with every gun owner you know here in the state and ask them to send an email as well.
<<< DONATE TODAY TO HELP GGO PASS CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY! >>>
For Freedom,
Aaron Dorr
Executive Director
Georgia Gun Owners
P.S. House Speaker David Ralston has made his move and is trying to kill the Constitutional Carry bill that passed the Senate this week (SB-319,) replacing it with HB-1358.
This new bill, filed by Rep. Mandi Ballinger, would place major restrictions on who could carry a firearm pursuant to Constitutional Carry — the exact opposite of what we want!
HB-1358 has passed the Public Safety Committee and is headed to the Rules Committee. Email the Rules Committee and urge them to fix the problems with this bill before it’s too late!
<<< TELL THE RULES COMMITTEE TO FIX HB-1358! >>>
Then, email the Public Safety Committee as well, and tell them to stop blocking SB-319, the real Constitutional Carry legislation that passed the Senate earlier this week.
<<< EMAIL THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE NOW! >>>
<<< DONATE TODAY TO HELP GGO PASS CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY! >>>