ATLANTA – State Representatives Sandra Scott (D-Rex), Viola Davis (D-Stone Mountain), Rhonda Burnough (D-Clayton) and Kim Schofield (D-Atlanta) today issued the following statements regarding the Midtown Atlanta mass shooting on Wednesday, May 3:
“Time is of the essence that we do something about gun safety,” said Rep. Scott. “I commend the many law enforcement agencies who helped catch the active shooter yesterday, and our citizens can rest assured that we can count on our police officers. It is time for the Georgia General Assembly to come together and have a conversation about our failing gun laws. It’s also imperative that we work with our military and mental health communities to combat gun violence.”
“We need to pass common sense gun safety legislation to restore and rebuild public trust and decrease the overall fear of future mass shootings,” said Rep. Davis. “Instead of putting more police officers on the street, lawmakers need to prioritize gun safety reform to prevent tragic events like mass shootings and murders. As a veteran who supports the Second Amendment, I believe we can balance the rights of gun owners with the need to protect the public from acts of gun violence.”
“Yesterday was a horrific day,” said Rep. Burnough. “It put us all on edge. But, we must continue to fight for mental health resources. We must continue to fight for changes in our gun laws. We can never let this be our norm. We are our brother’s keeper.”
“We commend and thank all of the law enforcement agencies who were involved in a safe capture of Deion Patterson,” said Rep. Schofield. “In times when the unexpected disrupts what seems to be a normal day, it brings some comfort seeing law enforcement across multiple jurisdictions unite for common good, making safety and protection their priority. I want to urge our federal, state and local officials to give the same amount of effort and intensity to creating safer gun laws and expanding access to mental health services. This cannot be our new way of life in Georgia when there is always a solution.”
Reps. Scott, Davis, Burnough and Schofield are also continuing to amplify legislation introduced during the 2023 legislation regarding gun safety reform and behavioral health treatment.
House Bill 4 would require the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to create, operate and maintain an electronic inpatient bed registry. The department would also be required to provide this registry data to the contractor or entity that operates the Georgia Crisis and Access Line. House Bill 553 would provide for the issuance of temporary ex parte risk protection orders and risk protection orders to restrict the possession of firearms, ammunition and weapons carry licenses to prevent an individual from harming his or herself or others.
House Bill 224 would require individuals in Georgia to report a lost or stolen firearm to law enforcement within five days. Failure to report the stolen firearm would result in a fine. House Bill 366 would require Georgia gun owners to store their firearms in a secure manner when not in use to prevent access by an unsupervised child and other unauthorized users. Violating this potential law would result in a misdemeanor.
House Bill 554 would prohibit gun owners and dealers from providing or selling a semiautomatic assault weapon to a person under the 21 years old. House Bill 555, or the Georgia Firearms and Weapons Act, would prohibit the possession of devices that attach to firearms to produce rapid fire.
House Resolution 56 seeks to recognize gun violence as a major public health problem and a leading cause of premature death in Georgia. This resolution would also encourage the Georgia House of Representatives to enact gun safety legislation that is backed by data and research.
*Editor’s Note: A photo of Reps. Davis, Schofield, Scott and Burnough is attached.
Representative Sandra Scott represents the citizens of District 76, which includes portions of Clayton County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 and currently serves as the Minority Caucus Chief Deputy Whip. She also serves on the Banks & Banking, Defense & Veterans Affairs, Human Relations & Aging, Insurance and Reapportionment and Redistricting committees.
Representative Viola Davis represents the citizens of District 87, which includes portions of DeKalb County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves on the Defense & Veterans Affairs, Insurance, Interstate Cooperation, Natural Resources & Environment and Urban Affairs committees.
Representative Kim Schofield represents the citizens of District 63, which includes portions of Fulton County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2017 and currently serves as the Secretary of the Urban Affairs Committee. She also serves on the Creative Arts & Entertainment, Health, Interstate Cooperation and Small Business Development committees.
Representative Rhonda Burnough represents the citizens of District 77, which includes portions of Clayton County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and currently serves on the Special Committee on Election Integrity and the Economic Development & Tourism, Governmental Affairs, Higher Education and Small Business Development committees.
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