Georgia legislature to pass improved pro-gun legislation

Got this yesterday from the GCO...

Political Insider Reporting Good News


http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/sh...008/05/06/a_slip_of_the_tongue_could_mea.html

Mr. Jim Galloway, AJC Political Insider column is reporting that the Governor intends on signing HB89:


A slip of the tongue could mean Perdue will sign the gun bill
Tuesday, May 6, 2008, 03:08 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sonny Perdue apparently intends to sign H.B. 89, the bill that would let permit holders carry concealed weapons on public transportation, in restaurants that serve alcohol and in state parks.

The governor let it slip during a signing ceremony for legislation to toughen Georgia’s prohibitions against dogfighting.

Perdue doesn’t usually talk in advance about whether he’ll sign this piece of legislation or that one. And at first, when questioned about the bill, the governor was properly wishy-washy.

“Actually, we were going line by line over lunch, on that legislation. There are certainly some ambiguities regarding employer and employee rights in the bill, that I’m a little concerned about,” the governor said.

But likewise, he declared himself “moved by the fact” that this law would only apply to license holders who have submitted themselves to fingerprinting and criminal background checks.

Then he said this:

“I do think it will be litigated and tested very soon after signing, because of the craftsmanship of some of the semantics in the language that creates some latitude and interpretation.”

Whoops.
Click to expand...
 
What Sonny is saying is that he will sign the bill with the understanding that the Georgia Supreme Court will promptly declare it unconstitutional.
Sonny is not a friend of gun owners or he would have signed this bill without hesitation as soon as he got it.
 
Just as long as he signs the damn bill. I'd rather take our chances with the GA supreme court. This is the same GA supreme court that ruled in favor of requiring photo id to vote. That decision was for common sense, of course, but it was also against the liberal position which held that no id should be required.

So, let them sue... then let's see if the supreme court will overturn a bill which was....

* Voted yes on by more than 70% of GA representatives
* Voted yes on by approx 63% of GA Senators
* Signed by the governor into law
 
The Atlanta Journal Constitution prints an opinion article section. Each week, a group called Northwest Opinions does an email survey an writes an article about the results. This week, they printed an article about georgia bill HB89. Here is the article.

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/...05/08/whatdoyouthink.html?cxntlid=inform_artr

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Most support concealed-gun bill

By David Norcross, Michael Scott, Charles Mills, John Porter, Robert Kinder, Lee Graves, John Fillyaw, Shane E. Clark, Ed Ogletree, J.M. Fouche, Fred Bush, Jason Morin, Greg Jones, Charles Broomfield, Marlene Kattaron, John P. Carr, J.D. McCrary
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/08/08

Each week Northwest Opinions asks readers to comment on a topic in the news. Today, we feature responses to the question: What do you think about the decision to allow licensed gun owners to carry concealed firearms in parks, on public transportation and in restaurants that serve alcohol? Should Gov. Sonny Perdue veto the bill? Or should the bill become law? The governor has until May 14 to make a decision.

> Background: A bill passed by the Legislature to allow licensed gun owners to carry concealed firearms in parks, on public transportation and in restaurants serving liquor is prompting a storm of protest. ("Atlanta mayor, others call for gun bill veto," AJC Metro, April 25.)

MARTA bus drivers have more than 1,000 signatures on a petition demanding bulletproof shields, should Perdue sign House Bill 89 into law. The Georgia Restaurant Association, wondering how waiters and waitresses are to keep patrons who are packing from drinking, is prepared to go to court.

Supporters of the bill say people should be able to protect themselves. State Rep. Tim Bearden (R-Villa Rica), sponsor of the bill and a former police officer, said law enforcement can't offer enough protection.

"They [police officers] cannot protect you in Atlanta. They never have," Bearden said. "I was in law enforcement 15 years. I never rode up on a shooting in progress. I don't like the idea of the police telling you, 'Get mugged, get raped, get murdered. We'll come by, take the report, or send flowers.' That's the wrong message."

Editor's note: More than a thousand e-mails were received on today's topic. More than 95 percent support HB 89. Letters on today's page are representative of letters received. We'll likely print more on next Thursday's Northwest Opinions page.

No brainer

Of course Gov. Sonny Perdue should sign HB 89.

I find if laughable that the head of MARTA security would posture with the mayor and denounce this bill. Bad guys already carry on the MARTA trains and buses. I challenge you to identify any AJC story over the past 10 years where a law-abiding citizen with a concealed carry permit has committed a crime with their weapon or injured an innocent bystander.

The bad guys know that the easiest target is a defenseless one and every day you write AJC stories telling about the mayhem. Well, it is a provable fact that if criminals are faced with a decision to prey upon a group people who they KNOW are unarmed or a group that MAY BE armed, they will feed upon the weak and those who think that the police are supposed to save them and their families from harm. WRONG THINKING.

If concealed weapons cause all this death and destruction, where are all the mass murder stories at the gun shows?

... Full Article: http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/...05/08/whatdoyouthink.html?cxntlid=inform_artr
Click to expand...
 
And yet the Governor refuses to decide.

He is not a friend of gun owners, or this would have been an easy decision for him.

Remember this when he runs for Senate.
 
I know what you are saying. He has dragged this out to the last minute and he probably doesn't realize that he missed the opportunity to improve his standing with conservatives. As it is, he has marred his image with us and it will remain marred even if he signs the bill.
 
I agree. By delaying signing or vetoing the bill he has effectively made everyone mad. Gun Owners don't see him as their friend, and neither do the business interests against the bill.
 
Looks like Perdue is going to wait until the very last minute to sign the bill or he will let it become law without his signature. The deadline is May 14th, I think.
 
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