Dear Lawmaker,
As your constituent, I'm writing you to urge you to support stronger gun safety legislation in Georgia. With time quickly running out in Georgia's 2019 legislative session, we still have an opportunity to pass lifesaving legislation to reduce gun violence in our communities, including the following three policies.
Support Legislation to Keep Guns Out of the Hands of Domestic Abusers (SB 150):
In Georgia, there were at least 290 victims of intimate partner homicide between 2013 and 2017. Sixty-seven percent of these victims were shot and killed. Federal law prohibits domestic abusers who are convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes and those subject to active final domestic violence restraining orders from buying or having guns. Without a matching state law, Georgia's law enforcement cannot take action to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and protect women and children from guns.
Repeal the Dangerous Guns on Campus Law (HB 122, SB 50):
In 2017, despite objections from campus leaders, law enforcement, parents, and students, Georgia passed a dangerous bill that forces college campuses to allow guns. In the year and half since the law's implementation, it already has been a tremendous threat to public safety. Mass confusion has followed the law’s implementation, and there have been reports of guns left unattended, guns carried openly, and guns in prohibited places. Given the prevalence of alcohol use, drug use, and mental illness among students, the risks are simply too great, and there is no evidence the law is working to deter crime on campus. Lawmakers should repeal this dangerous and unnecessary law.
Prohibit the Possession of Bump Stocks in Georgia (HB 289):
Bump stocks are devices which enable semi-automatic weapons to be effectively converted into fully automatic machine guns, which are tightly regulated under federal and Georgia law. The only purpose of a bump stock is to enable someone to shoot as rapidly as possible, these devices are specifically designed to evade machine gun laws. Although the federal government has moved to make clear that bump stocks are illegal, Georgia should pass a state prohibition to enable local law enforcement to enforce the law.
Please prioritize public safety in our communities and take action to pass common-sense gun safety legislation.