Georgia lawmaker pushes for campus carry bill

ATLANTA — A Georgia lawmaker is working to get a vote on a bill that would allow permitted students to carry firearms on campus.

The governor vetoed a similar campus carry bill last year. He specifically said he didn't like the idea of students with firearms and the idea of firearms near on-campus day care centers.

Under the new bill, students who are over 21 years old and have applied for and received a concealed carry permit would be allowed to carry a firearm on any public college or university campus.

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State Rep. Mandi Ballinger said it doesn't mean that any student can carry a gun on campus, only those with a permit.

"You have to have a fingerprint,” Ballinger said. “You have to have a background check. You have to have no criminal record, and (no) felony record that would prohibit you from having a Georgia concealed carry permit here in the state of Georgia."

Under the bill, students still would not be allowed to have a gun in a dorm room or inside any student housing, or in fraternities and sororities.

Opponents said college campuses should be gun-free zones.

Cox Media Group