Georgia Legislature Considers Sweeping Gun Bill

Georgia legislators need to think long and hard as they consider a far-reaching bill filed last week that would promote the presence of guns throughout daily life in our state.

House Bill 981 would allow carrying concealed weapons – guns –in bars, public schools, on college campuses, in most government buildings, in state mental hospitals and at polling places. The legislation would ban firearms registration, prevent state and local agencies from regulating gun shows “in any manner,” and legalize hunting with silencers.

The bill would prevent police or the National Guard from taking guns from people during states of emergency, and it would allow citizens to sue if that occurred.

Further, citizens would lose their right to file lawsuits against “any firearms or ammunition manufacturer, trade association, or dealer” for personal injury, wrongful death or other losses due to the “design, manufacture, marketing, or sale of firearms or ammunition.” To put it plainly, Georgians would lose their right to recover damages for medical bills or other expenses and losses from those who made or supplied a gun that caused a personal injury or death, including a faulty gun or ammunition.

“Critics say (the bill) goes too far and could endanger the public,” says the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Georgia Politico titled its report about the bill “It’s Raining Guns in Georgia.”

Most murders in the United States are committed with firearms, especially handguns, says the National Institute of Justice. In 2006, firearms were used in 68 percent of murders, 42 percent of robbery offenses and 22 percent of aggravated assaults nationwide. In 2005, 11,346 people were killed by firearm violence and 477,040 people were victims of a crime committed with a firearm.

In Georgia, according to the FBI’s 2010 Uniform Crime Report, firearms were involved in 376 murders in Georgia, or 71.35 percent of all murders in our state.

It’s a given that guns are a part of violent crime. Whether increasing the availability of guns, based on our national right to bear arms, makes the problem better or worse is the heart of the ongoing debate. Regardless of where our readers stand in that debate, the Millar & Mixon injury lawyers law firm offers this explanation of the current legislation and gun-crime statistics in hopes that it is an informed debate.

At Millar & Mixon, our attorneys stand with those who have been injured or have lost loved ones in violent crimes and in accidental shootings.

We represent crime and accident victims throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area and the state of Georgia, including Jonesboro, East Point, North Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Forest Park, College Park, Decatur, Roswell, Marietta, Peachtree City, Fayetteville and Riverdale.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a violent crime or an accidental shooting, contact the personal injury attorneys of Millar & Mixon today for a free case evaluation by calling 404-994-6426 or through our online contact form.