HB 292 is this year's omnibus gun bull.  Georgia will recognize carry licenses for those moving here from other states (which have reciprocity laws with Georgia) for 90 days, so long as the person abides by Georgia's laws; probate judges are authorized to provide information on gun safety; DNR must post a link on its Web site for hunting gun safety course information; folks who legally change their name can get a free replacement license (if within 90 days of their license registration); retired law enforcement officers from other states do not need a license.  Any sheriff or retired sheriff, deputy or retired deputy sheriff, member or retired member of the Georgia State Patrol, member of retired member of GBI and retired law enforcement officer can carry a gun into a courthouse, unless the Sheriff providing security for the courthouse provides a lock box and screens out all other weapons by security personnel.                

 Following recommendations of the Governor's Court Reform Council and in response to several recent Georgia Supreme Court decisions, this bill would allow for a limited waiver of the state's sovereign immunity so as to allow lawsuits against the state for injunctions and/declaratory judgments where a state law is alleged to be unconstitutional. As amended in House committee, the substance of HB 674 was added to this bill, waiving county and city sovereign immunity for injunctive/declaratory relief for allegations that the local government has violated a constitutional provision, statute, state rule/regulation, or local ordinance. Immunity would still apply to any  related monetary damages. The amended version also permits direct appeals of trial court orders ruling that immunity does not apply to a claim (from HB 256).

A substitute version approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee removes local governments from the scope of this bill but retains the direct-appeal authorization.