By State Representative Keisha Waites (D-Atlanta)
(442 words)
After receiving numerous communications, both in support and in opposition to House Bill 11, I felt it necessary to clarify my intent in re-introducing this legislation.
The reality is that thousands of Georgia families are being negatively impacted by senseless accidental gun-related deaths due to dangerous and poor gun laws. I am a proud concealed carry permit holder and a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment. However, my intent is not to restrict law-abiding gun owners from carrying. The objective of the legislation is to simply ensure that those who chose to carry have the proper training to keep the public at large safe. The idea that individuals are carrying concealed weapons in public places with absolutely no training of how to load, shoot and unload a weapon is terrifying, yet this is currently Georgia’s law.
Gun-related accidents have devastating consequences, and by requiring additional safety training at the onset of the carry permit process, we will ensure that those who use firearms have had the opportunity to learn about the firearm itself and the safety precautions. This is for personal safety and for the safety of others.
HB 11 would require that applicants complete a certified firearm safety training course prior to applying for a weapons carry license. Applicants may satisfy this requirement by proving one of the following: that he or she is a peace officer; is serving on active duty with the US armed forces; is serving in an active reserve component of the US armed forces or in the Georgia National Guard; is certified by the NRA as a firearms safety instructor; or received basic firearms training provided by a law enforcement officer, is a nationally recognized organization that promotes firearm safety, or is a licensed firearms dealer. Firearms safety training would include instruction on the features of a handgun in addition to a brief explanation of loading, firing and unloading the weapon.
A number of states, many of which are conservative, have similar legislation that requires safety training to obtain a concealed carry permit. House Bill 11 is bipartisan legislation that will save lives and significantly reduce the number of accidental deaths and injuries in the state of Georgia. Let’s not forget that many of the proponents of HB 11 decided to prohibit guns in the Georgia State Capitol during the debate on House Bill 859.
In memorial to the Georgia families who have experienced tragic lost due to accidental gun death, and after reviewing the alarming data, it is my hope at the very least that HB 11 will receive a committee hearing to allow families and experts to weigh in and properly vet the legislation.
Representative Keisha Waites represents the citizens of District 60, which includes portions of Clayton and Fulton counties. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2012, and currently serves on the Interstate Cooperation, Juvenile Justice, Public Safety & Homeland Security, Special Rules, and Transportation committees.
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