Governor Brian P. Kemp, along with First Lady Marty Kemp and two of her daughters, constitutional officials, legislators and other special guests, yesterday signed the Georgia Constitutional Portage Act (SB 319) and Reciprocal License (HB 218). A person is guilty of a crime if he intentionally and without legal justification points one weapon or pistol at another, whether or not the weapon or pistol is loaded. In May 2019, Kemp signed a highly controversial bill that would ban abortions after a heartbeat can be detected in a fetus, which is typically the case when a woman is six weeks pregnant; The legislation was one of the strictest anti-abortion laws in the country. [135] The law was blocked by federal courts, which declared it unconstitutional: an injunction issued in October 2019 prevented the law from coming into force,[136] and a permanent injunction issued in July 2020 permanently struck down the law. [137] This injunction was later overturned by the 2022 Supreme Court decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women`s Health Organization. As WWC Investigates has previously reported, some plaintiffs sued Judge Tom Bordeaux after he claimed he wrongly denied them a gun permit. These lawsuits cost taxpayers about $92,000 to defend themselves against taxpayers who pay the bills of those who won their lawsuit. In October 2015, the Georgia Secretary of State`s Office, under Kemp`s leadership, illegally disclosed the personal information (including social security numbers and dates of birth) of 6.2 million registered voters in Georgia. This data breach occurred when the office sent a CD containing this information to 12 organizations that purchase monthly lists of electors from the office. The bureau didn`t know about the breach until the following month and didn`t admit it publicly until The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported the resulting class action lawsuit against the bureau.
[34] Less than a month after learning of the breach, it had cost taxpayers $1.2 million in credit monitoring services for those whose data had been compromised and $395,000 to investigate Kemp`s handling of the unauthorized disclosure of data. [35] SAVANNAH, Georgia. A new state law known as Georgia`s Constitutional Carry has a lot of people talking about what will and won`t change when it comes to carrying a handgun. No private or public employer, including the state and its political subdivisions, may make employment subject to an agreement by a prospective employee prohibiting an employee from entering and entering the parking lot if the employee`s private motor vehicle contains a firearm or ammunition, or both, that is locked out of sight in the trunk. Glove box or other enclosed compartment or area inside such a private motor vehicle, provided that all employees concerned hold a Georgian firearms permit. This provision does not apply, among other things, to an employer who provides a secure parking area that is not accessible to the general public or to an area that is temporarily used for parking. In addition, this provision does not limit the rights of private owners or persons exercising legal control over the property, and if a private owner or person exercising legal control over the property is also an employer, his rights are deemed to be a private owner or a person exercising legal control over the property. Not be under the influence of alcohol (blood alcohol level of 0.08 or greater) or a drug or a combination of alcohol and drugs, as long as it is dangerous for the person to discharge such a firearm, except for the defence of life, health and property. In addition, any quantity of marijuana or a controlled substance, as defined in GA Code ยง 16-13-21, that is present in the person`s blood or urine, or both, including metabolites and derivatives of each or both, whether or not the alcohol is present in the person`s breath or blood, is illegal. “This legislation will potentially allow individuals with criminal histories who purchase a firearm through private sale to legally carry a hidden and loaded gun into our communities,” said Rep. Kimberly Alexander, D-Hiram.
Consumers must still pass a background check to purchase a handgun from an authorized dealer in Georgia. The Georgia Senate passed the bill in early April. Before the law was signed, Georgians had to have a firearms license (WCL) to carry a hidden weapon in public, although in many places people could carry guns and shotguns without permission and carry unloaded guns in boxes. Residents must apply for a WCL in their county probate court. Applicants may apply for a gun permit from the probate judge in the applicant`s district of residence.6 In 2010, Georgia relaxed its licensing requirements.
