I moved from Washington State to Georgia several years ago. The driving factor was the oppressive gun control laws that began passing in the state legislature. I tried to encourage people, register, and educate voters, speak at both rallies and at the Capitol, and I even sued the state over a Democrat led voter initiative of a barrage of 2A infringements.
Another major reason was that I was simply tired of Conservatives and RINO politicians that easily capitulated to the press of Washington state Leftist policies. Sadly, this also trickled down to conservative voters, who would complain incessantly yet decide to not vote while saying “what difference does it make.” My decision to leave was not a difficult one and I was off to return home to the South.
Thankfully, Georgia remains a “gun friendly” state overall. Outside of 2-3 urban counties, the bulk of the state is pro-gun, both Democrats and Republicans alike. Georgia had little trouble passing permit-less carry back in 2022 (I still refuse to call it “Constitutional carry” since many codified infringements still exist at the Federal and state levels.) and over the past several years, no major challenges to our 2A rights seemed to even be discussed. But like in many areas of the nation, gun-grabbing politicians and lobbyists never cease their efforts to restrict our natural right of self-defense. For Georgia, House Bill 601 does just that.
Democrat Derrick Jackson has introduced Georgia HB 601, which is a giant gun control bill patterned from other repressive firearm repressive states. The bill, which is poorly written (political copy and paste from somewhere else) includes almost every wish-list item that national gun control groups have demanded for years. The number of constitutional infringements in HB 601 is staggering and includes:
Broadly increase the regulation surrounding gun sales and ownership; to provide for the offense of selling or furnishing handguns or long guns to minors; to prohibit parents or legal guardians from permitting the possession of handguns or long guns by a minor in certain circumstances; to provide for exceptions; to provide for the offense of the possession of a large capacity magazine or a firearm produced by means of 3D printing; to provide a time frame for new residents of the state to obtain a weapons carry license; to provide for school safety zones to extend 500 yards from school premises; to require weapons carry licenses to be renewed each year, to prohibit anyone under the age of 16 years from possessing or controlling a handgun or long gun; to provide for anyone under the age of 18 years from possessing or controlling a handgun or long gun without parental or guardian supervision or in certain circumstances; to require individuals who are carrying a weapon to have a weapons carry license on their person; to provide for the establishment of the Georgia Firearms Registry; to require the registration of all firearms sales and transfers in this state; to provide for requirements for safe storage of a firearm in a vehicle; to provide for requirements for safe storage of firearms when the owner is not present on the premises; to provide for exceptions; to provide for safe storage of firearms when access by a child is reasonably likely; to require ammunition be stored separately from firearms; to subject all transfers or purchases of firearms at gun shows to NICS; to provide for facilitation by licensed dealers; to prohibit sales of firearms to individuals under the age of 21; to require a five-day waiting period to complete transactions for firearms to individuals under the age of 27; to prohibit the sale or transfer by certain dealers of assault weapons in this state.
Did you get eye strain from reading all that, or was it just me? To save you the pain of reading more utter political garbage, I won’t even delve into the companion bill (HB 711) dubbed the “Georgia Firearms and Weapons Act” which is basically anything else the gun-grabbers forgot to include in HB 601.
None of this is a surprise coming from a Democrat politician running for governor who has accomplished nothing in his short tenure in the legislature. The truth is, Jackson knows a bill like this will not pass in a red state like Georgia. It is a perfect example of textbook grandstanding to pander for votes.
What is disappointing however is to see the Republican leadership in the state legislature say, “yeah, we know, but we aren’t going to push back against it because we need the Independent and moderate Democrat votes in the midterms. Having had over a full year to read HB601 did not prompt Republicans to call for an immediate vote to kill, or at a minimum, table this bill when the current session began. Given that the total legislative session runs from January 12 through April 2, 2026, the longer UNCONSTITUTIONAL bills remain, the more emboldened anti-2A politicians become.
So, what will happen during the remainder of this session and ones to come? All it will take is the continued exodus of people from New York, California, and Illinois to significantly reshape the repopulation as it has already begun to do in cities like Atlanta. In case you missed it, FBI recently “raided” Fulton County (Atlanta) for all material connected to the 2020 election based on voting irregularities and rumors of fraud. Another “questionable” election cycle and Georgia could easily flip blue.
My question to Republicans elected to represent Georgia; are you willing to sacrifice your constituents’ rights to also pander for votes or are you prepared to make an example out of bills like HB-601 and HB-711 to send the clear message that the Second Amendment shall not be infringed in Georgia? If you are not, prepare to be replaced by those willing to stand up in support of our inalienable right of self-defense.
My question to all those reading from the other forty-nine states, when will this type of bill arise in your state? Take the proactive steps now to prevent it from ever happening. For all those in repressive gun-rights states, keep up the fight. The 2A will endure as long aswe all get angry, get involved and get out to VOTE.
Editor’s Note: HB 601 has yet to be assigned to a committee, so the Georgia GOP may just be hoping to let it quietly die without giving it any attention.
We at Bearing Arms, though, have a duty to report on and expose the Democrats’ gun control policies and schemes. Join Bearing Arms VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership.
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