Under current law, it is illegal to remove a gun from certain public safety officers who are acting in the line of duty. HB 123 makes it illegal to remove a stun gun or taser from these public safety officials.

HB 266 would allow constables for the magistrate court to carry loaded weapons.

Under current law, only individuals with a carry license are allowed to use or carry a handgun in a park, historic site or recreational area.  HB 679 would expand this to allow anyone who is not prohibited by law from possessing a weapon to carry and use a handgun in any park, historic site or recreational area. 

This bill would require any applicant for a weapons carry license to complete a firearms safety training. Peace officers, individuals on active duty in the armed forces and weapons training instructors licensed by the Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies do not need to submit to additional training.  Any one else who applies to get a weapons carry license must show proof that they have completed a four-hour firearms safety training course provided by a peace officer or a weapons training instructor licensed by the Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies.

This bill prohibits the state or local governments from limiting the carry of firearms, from those legally licensed to do so, during official states of emergency or any other time.  Those aggrieved may bring civil action to have their firearm returned and, should they prevail, be awarded reasonable attorney fees.        

SB 94 was a bill that dealt with firearms, but was stripped in House the Non-Civil Judiciary Committee and HB 185, the Runaway Youth Safety Act was inserted.

Under current law, it is a crime for someone to help a child who has run away. HB 185 allows community based programs that provide services to runaway children, homeless children or those at risk of becoming homeless to assist these children so long as the program contacts the parent, guardian or custodian of the child within 72 hours. Alternatively, if the program provider believes that the child has been abused, the provider does not have to notify the parents, guardian or custodian, but must make a report to a child welfare agency providing protective services, to law enforcement or to the district attorney.

Among numerous other revisions to the state's concealed weapon/legal carry law, SB 102 authorizes probate courts to send out notice to a resident when their legal carry permit is about to expire. It redefines rifle and shotgun, extends the current deadline for creating the new version of the license by one year, specifies when a gun can be carried into or near a school safety zone, and specifies under what circumstances local governments cannot seize or prohibit legally-carried guns.

This bill would allow hunters to use silencers on their guns.

SB 350 specifies that guns forfeited because of their use in the commission of a crime must be disposed of to the highest bidder once they are no longer of use to the law enforcement agency.  Before disposing of the gun, law enforcement must try to find the rightful owner, if it is suspected that the gun may have been stolen.  Guns that belong to innocent owners must be returned to those owners.