In the past, Constitutional Carry legislation has been filed in Georgia but has basically gone nowhere. However, that may all change with Georgia’s new governor-elect, Brian Kemp, who has said he would support measures related to Constitutional Carry.

A new bill, HB 2, was pre-filed on November 16, 2018 during the special session by State Representative Matt Gurtler (R-Tiger). Gurtler is known in the Georgia House of Representatives as a staunch gun rights conservative.

In Georgia, you can carry a concealed gun but it requires a background check and a valid carry permit. The bill looks to eliminate the carry permit, which cost about $85 and is good for five years once issued. However, HB 2 looks to allow Georgia to offer carry permits for those gun owners who want to carry their firearms to other states through reciprocity agreements.

Only legal law-abiding citizens would still be able to carry a gun under the “Constitutional Carry” bill, HB 2, and it would still restrict unlawful individuals such as convicted felons from having a gun. The bill would remove the permit requirement and background checks for law abiding citizens.

In the introduction of Gurtler’s bill, HB 2, it states that “[s]ince objects or instrumentalities in and of themselves are not dangerous or evil, in a free and just society, the civil government should not ban or restrict their possession or use.”

Gurtler was asked by AllOnGeorgia about some particulars of the bill and Gurtler sent the following statement about HB 2:

House Bill 2, otherwise known as Constitutional Carry, makes the Georgia Weapons License optional for law-abiding citizens. Constitutional Carry also protects reciprocity for those who wish to maintain a Georgia Weapons License. Constitutional Carry has nothing to do with the purchasing of a firearm. As it stands now, law-abiding Georgians are taxed millions of dollars annually for exercising their God-given natural rights of self-defense. Under the Constitution and in accordance with our Founding Fathers, “Shall not be Infringed” is a no compromise statement. At least a dozen States have passed Constitutional Carry, and there is no reason why we can’t pass this legislation during the upcoming meeting of the General Assembly with Republicans maintaining control of the House, Senate, and Executive. Especially with the backing of Governor-Elect Brian Kemp, who fully supports Constitutional Carry.

The bill will be assigned a committee in January 2019 by the Speaker of the House David Ralston. Gurtler filed a similar bill last session and it did not move for consideration.

There are roughly 11 states that have Constitutional Carry laws in the United States.

Below is a copy of the bill in its entirety: