Shortly before midnight on March 20th 2014, within the last hour before adjournment of the 2014 legislative session, House Bill 60 was agreed to in the state House of Representatives by a 112-58 vote and sent to Governor Nathan Deal (R) for his expected signature into law.
As previously reported, HB 60, as amended, had multiple transformations throughout this year’s session, and at one point was in real trouble of being watered down beyond repair. Thankfully, your activism through repeated phone calls, e-mails and visits to the Capitol carried the day. Your gun rights were not only preserved this year, but were restored and advanced further than they ever have in the history of the Peach State. This truly is an historic day for Georgia gun owners, shooters and sportsmen.
Upon the Governor’s signature, HB 60 will enact the following pro-gun reforms for all law-abiding gun owners in Georgia:
- Remove fingerprinting for renewal of Weapons Carry Licenses (WCL).
- Prohibit the state from creating and maintaining a database of WCL holders.
- Create an absolute defense for the legal use of deadly force in the face of a violent attack.
- Lower the age to obtain a concealed WCL for self-defense from 21 to 18 for active duty military, with specific training.
- Allows for the use of firearm sound suppressors while hunting.
