Constitutional carry bill approved by Georgia Senate committee

ATLANTA - A Georgia Senate committee has approved a bill that would allow gun owners to carry their firearms in public without a permit.

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard from a number of people on the bill Tuesday afternoon.

While those who support the measure said the government should not infringe on citizens' Second Amendment rights, opponents argue those rights are not absolute.

Sen. Jason Anavitarte, the Republican co-sponsor of the so-called constitutional carry legislation, said gun purchases would still trigger background checks, and criminals were unlikely to go through the state’s permit process anyway. He also rejected concerns about the bill’s effect on violence.

Sen. Jason Anavitarte, the Republican co-sponsor of the so-called constitutional carry legislation, said gun purchases would still trigger background checks, and criminals were unlikely to go through the state’s permit process anyway. He also rejected concerns about the bill’s effect on violence.

"The requirement to have a permit does not deter nor disincentive a criminal from carrying a firearm concealed," he said before the Judiciary committee passed the bill. "They will do it regardless. Permitless carry gives criminals a reason to fear that any potential victim could be armed."

Sen. Elena Parent, a Democrat who represents parts of DeKalb County, pressed Anavitarte about the loss of a background check, suggesting he was presenting a bill that would "remove one of the very small" ways of keeping guns from criminals and certain other people.

Other Democrats on the committee questioned whether the license presented a significant burden to Second Amendment rights and whether law enforcement groups had been consulted.

Anavitarte said concerns about gun violence and safety were best addressed by investing in law enforcement and policing.

The bill now heads to the Senate Rules Committee which will determine when the bill goes to the Senate floor for a full vote.

Georgia’s Republican governor, Brian Kemp, has backed the revocation, saying Georgia residents should have their constitutional rights protected and be able to protect themselves and their families amid a spike in violent crime.

Currently, Georgians must have a Weapons Carry License, or WCL, in order to carry a concealed weapon in public, although people can carry rifles and shotguns in many places without a permit and carry unloaded guns in cases. Residents have to apply for a WCL through their county's probate court.  Applicants must pass a criminal background check, pay an average fee of $75 and provide their fingerprints. Convicted felons and people who have been hospitalized for mental health problems or received treatment for drugs or alcohol in the years preceding the application are not eligible.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report