Georgia Senate passes first bill of session, blocking local gun storage rules

The first bill approved this legislative session in the Georgia General Assembly was strictly voted along party lines.

The Georgia Senate passed a bill that would ban cities from requiring gun owners to lock up their guns in their cars, according to WABE.

The legislation is in response to a Savannah ordinance that requires guns left in empty vehicles to be securely stored to reduce gun thefts. Although the ordinance was deemed unconstitutional by a Chatham County judge, it resulted in 41 people receiving citations.

The state House already approved the legislation last session, so the bill now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk.

State Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, said during the Senate debate that the bill protects the rights of gun owners.

“You can travel the state freely knowing you’re not going to be a victim of a crime and then be made a criminal as we’ve seen in Savannah,” Moore said. “We’re putting freedom back into the hands of the citizenry.”

State Sen. Derek Mallow, D-Savannah, said the ordinance reduced gun thefts by 30% in a year.

“The city overwhelmingly supports the Second Amendment, but they also believe that public safety is at risk when guns are stolen from unlocked cars,” Mallow said. “They can fall into the wrong hands very easily.”