Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signed a sweeping gun bill into law on Wednesday, allowing patrons to carry firearms into bars, nightclubs, school classrooms, and certain government buildings that lack security personnel or devices.

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“As governor, I have signed legislation that protects the rights to keep and bear arms. It is a right that is ingrained in the very fabric of our nation,” Deal, a Republican, said moments before signing the controversial bill. “America today cherishes this right so that people who follow the rules can protect themselves and their families from those who don’t follow the rules.”

Close video The most extreme gun bill in America? Rev. Al Sharpton weighs in on a new gun law signed by Gov. Nathan Deal in Georgia Wednesday afternoon, allowing guns in bars, churches, and even in airports. share tweet email Embed

“We live in a dangerous world, and while I cannot begin to explain the reasons someone might seek to take the life of another, I want wholeheartedly that Georgians, should they choose to take responsibility for the safety of themselves and their families, [to] have that option,” State Rep. Rick Jasperse, a Republican and author of the bill, said Wednesday.

Jasperse and other supporters have tried to pass similar legislation for the past two years.

Deal, who previously supported loosening gun restrictions and holds an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association, plans to run for re-election on Nov. 4.