ATLANTA — It’s a call to action from supporters of new gun laws in Georgia.
On Wednesday, Democrats in the Georgia General Assembly will gather at the State Capitol to call on Republican Governor Brian Kemp to convene a special session of the legislature, to bring gun-safety reforms to a vote right away.
Thus far, the governor has opposed the bills they are supporting.
Supporters of the bills said they know that chances of passage are still slim in Georgia’s pro-gun-rights legislature. But they believe the political winds across the state are shifting.
The culture is starting to change,” said Rep. Michelle Au, (D) Johns Creek, “and I think we are seeing that in Georgia.”
Supporters point out that, on Monday, the unexpected happened at the pro-second-amendment Texas State Capitol, following the mass shooting at the shopping mall in Allen.
A bill in the Texas House of Representatives to raise the age to buy certain semiautomatic rifles, from 18 to 21, narrowly passed in a House committee only because two Republicans on the committee suddenly switched, and voted with supporters, evoking cheers, tears and grateful embraces from surprised advocates of the bill.
The unexpected happened again on Tuesday in Tennessee, after the Covenant School shootings in Nashville in March.
Tennessee’s Republican, pro-second-amendment Governor, Bill Lee, called a special session of the legislature to convene in August to consider gun-safety legislation there.
“I think there’s a real, wide, broad agreement that we need to find a way to separate those who are a danger to themselves or to others from access to weapons, and protect the Second Amendment rights of Tennesseans at the same time,” Lee told reporters Tuesday. “That is the balance and the strategy that we’re going to use, going forward. We have to find a way to do that. I think we can. I’ve asked lawmakers to consider options. We’ll be working on that all summer long, and I think we’ll find an answer to that.”
Could the unexpected happen in Georgia’s pro-second-amendment, Republican-majority State Capitol following the shootings in Midtown Atlanta last week?
“The fact that the Tennessee governor has called for a special session, I think, has given a little bit of optimism that perhaps Governor Kemp might consider the same thing,” said Rep. Teri Anulewicz, (D) Smyrna, Tuesday.
Rep. Anulewicz and other Democrats in the legislature said the reason they’re asking Gov. Kemp to convene a special session of the General Assembly to consider gun safety legislation is that the bills have broad, public support.
The proposals include:
- Universal Background Checks, even for private sales of firearms
- Safe Storage of Firearms to protect children from accessing the guns
- “Red Flag” Restrictions to prevent those known to be at high risk for hurting themselves, or others, from buying guns
- Waiting Periods to Purchase Firearms, possibly for three days, to address situations in which impulse buys might lead to crimes of passion or suicide
“And so we've got to, as a legislature, reflect the conversations that are happening in our communities,” Rep. Anulewicz said. “And the conversations that are happening in our communities are among people who are saying, ‘okay, what can we do? Enough is enough. What can we do?’”
Governor Kemp’s office had not, as of Tuesday night, responded to 11Alive’s requests for a comment about the request for a special session of the legislature.
Democrats know the chances, for now, are slim he would agree.
However, Rep. Au of Johns Creek believes GOP leaders will start hearing from their voters.
“The culture is starting to change,” Rep. Au said. “And I think we are seeing that in Georgia... So I think that this is coming to a head. I think that many voters are coming to the point where they realize that this can not continue to be an ideological issue or a political issue. This is a real-life issue that deserves to be dealt with.”
She said she continues to talk with both Democrats and Republicans about gun issues, “and I love and respect them... I know that they want to do good. And this is a place where there is a need. There’s a place where there’s a lot of good to be done... It’s going to come to a point where people feel the need to step up, and feel the responsibility to act.”
Democrats said their focus is building on grassroots support, even if there is no special session, and aiming to bring the bills to a vote at the next regular session of the legislature, which begins in January.