The Georgia Senate passes laws to abolish gun permits

Constitutional carrying would eliminate the need for a government permit to carry firearms within the state.

ATLANTA — The Georgia Senate passed legislation that would eliminate the requirement for a license to carry a firearm in public. The election-year bill passed Monday in a tough party-line vote.

“Criminals … don’t care about having a carry permit,” Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R-Dallas), sponsor of the bill, said during the Senate debate.

Constitutional carrying would eliminate the need for a state license to carry firearms.

It would still be illegal for convicted felons to carry guns, as well as anyone found to have a mental illness.

Republicans say it’s to help Georgians defend themselves against violent crime.

“It’s the young mother who just heard on the radio in her car that there has been another carjacking at her neighborhood gas station,” Anavitarte told colleagues on Monday.

“What about people who might have mental health issues, people who are involved in domestic violence,” Senator David Lucas (D-Macon) asked Anavitarte.

“Senator, if you are a law-abiding citizen, you may carry your gun,” Anavitarte replied.

“How do you know?” asked Luke.

Democrats argued that getting rid of the permit eliminates an important screening of people who aren’t allowed to have guns in the first place.

“The real irony of this bill is that it directly protects criminals,” State Senator Elena Parent (D-Atlanta) said during the debate.

Critics say Georgia courts have denied at least 5,200 gun license applications over the past year. Bills that would eliminate the requirement to carry a firearm failed in the Capitol because even some Republicans saw them as too extreme — until this year.

Supporters of the bill say gun laws in Georgia have not changed significantly since 2014, but crime has increased. “I’m curious what you attribute the increase in Atlanta’s homicide rate to?” Sen. Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming) asked Parent.

“That’s because we don’t have gun laws, so everybody damn has one,” Parent exclaimed. “We are the laughing stock of the developed world with our gun laws.”

Backed by Gov. Brian Kemp, Republicans in the state Senate passed the constitutional vote on a party line. It will come as no surprise if the same thing happens in the House of Representatives over the next few days.