Georgia Governor Nathan Deal (R) wants lawmakers to water down the campus carry legislation they sent to his desk, but House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) says that is not going to happen.
On March 15, Breitbart News reported that Governor Deal defended campus carry while lawmakers were considering it, then balked once they placed it on his desk. Instead of immediately signing the bill, Deal asked lawmakers to take it back, make changes, and then resubmit it for his consideration.
The gist of the campus carry legislation, House Bill 859, is to keep colleges and universities from violating concealed permit holders’ Second Amendment rights by prohibiting collegiate governing bodies from banning guns on campus. Deal wants this changed so that governing boards preserve some ability to ban guns. Deal specifically wants to allow gun bans in disciplinary hearings, administrative offices, and on-campus daycare facilities.
According to the Associated Press, Speaker Ralston says these changes are not going to happen because they are the equivalent of “gutting” the “entire intent” of HB 859. Moreover, Ralston said, “Deal didn’t share his concerns about weapons being brought into day cares, disciplinary hearings or office space until the bill had passed,” so the time for making changes has passed.
The House Speaker said he expects Governor Deal to sign campus carry into law as is.
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.