Georgia Supreme Court Upholds Longstanding Ban on Firearms in K-12 Schools

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 1, 2016

(Atlanta, GA) – The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus issued the following statement in response to yesterday’s decision by the Georgia Supreme Court upholding the state’s longstanding ban on firearms in K-12 schools.

“Georgia Carry has lost its appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court to permit firearms in K-12 schools. The Court upheld the current law, which allows firearms license holders to carry on school property only while transporting, picking up, or dropping off students.

The dispute arose after Gov. Deal signed two conflicting bills in 2014. House Bill 826 expanded carry beyond student pick-up and drop-off – including allowing carry within school buildings. However, as the Court recognized, House Bill 60, which Gov. Deal signed afterwards, superseded the bill. 

House Bill 60 left unchanged Georgia’s historical restrictions on carry in K-12 school beyond student transport. However, it expanded carry in many other places, including churches, airports, and bars, thus becoming known as the “Guns Everywhere” bill. The Campaign worked to oppose both HB 826 and HB 60, successfully advocating for the removal of campus carry from HB 60.

“Yesterday’s decision by the Court reinforces the levelheaded notion that guns have no place in K-12 schools, and highlighted the gun lobby’s continuing failure to usurp consistent recognition, by courts, legislatures, and most Americans alike, that schools are sensitive places where guns should be prohibited.”