Issue Position: 2nd Amendment
Issue Position
As a Representative for the 11th District, one of the most common questions I am asked is my position on our 2nd Amendment.
My actions have spoken loudly on this issue during my time in the General Assembly. I have been able, with the help of many, to pass a number of bills that continue to restore our rights as Good Georgians. Along with Rep. John Meadows (R-Calhoun), Rep. Mandi Ballinger (R-Canton), and Rep. Alan Powell (R-Hartwell), every 2nd Amendment bill we have proposed in the State House has passed. It took a lot of work and we got a lot of criticism, but in the end, we have prevailed.
I can send you a summary of the issues we addressed in HB 89, 2008; SB 208, 2010; HB 60, 2014; HB 492, 2015; and HB 280, 2017.
I have been recognized with a few awards during the past few years, including the NRA's Defenders of Freedom Award and GeorgiaCarry.org Legislator of the Year two times. There are only two people in the General Assembly today that have received these awards. I am one of them.
Reciprocity, meaning licensed Georgians can carry their weapons in other states and that other states' licensed citizens can carry in ours, is important. I worked Along with Alan Powell to get South Carolina to recognize our license a few years ago. I am working with Mandi Ballinger to pass the NRA's national reciprocity bill in this session. Georgians can then carry their weapon in more states freely.
Many years ago, I helped our 4-H Club start a 4-H Skeet shooting team to teach safe gun handling and marksmanship. We have had some great volunteers for many years who have kept this program going. There are about 50 young men and women who are active in this project today.
I support your and your family's ability to protect themselves. I will always continue to work to restore our rights. Remember, those rights have been eroded by the other party for many years, and in ten short years, we, as Republicans, have improved them a lot.
Be wary of candidates who say they are for the 2nd Amendment and always add the words "But," or "Common Sense." It's a sure sign they want to take something away they don't think you need.
During the Corona virus issue we have right now, the reason the Government cannot confiscate your weapons in times of Emergency is because I, along with others, especially Rep. John Meadows, put that in HB 60 knowing that someday it could be a possibility.
Red flag laws allow the Government to take your weapons upon the accusation of a crime. I fight these bills every day in the legislature because they rob your constitutional rights to Due Process.
I oppose efforts by the Left to infringe upon the right of the law-abiding people of Georgia to keep and bear arms. I will encourage the public's awareness of the principle that the best guarantee of liberty is a well-armed populace of good citizens.
Criminals will never abide by gun control laws, and armed, law-abiding Georgia citizens are no threat to public safety. The purpose for the 2nd Amendment, according to those wise Founding Fathers, was to guarantee that the citizens would be able to ensure the protection of their liberties and families.
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