ATLANTA — A group of Democratic lawmakers and others impacted by gun violence are chanting "now" for bipartisan change to make Georgia a safer place to live.
Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Republican colleagues asking for a special session to consider four gun safety bills introduced during the recent legislative session.
“Legislation that would require background checks. Second, safe storage, third red flag laws," Sam Park, a state representative, said. " All three of these commonsense solutions have bipartisan support certainly with the majority of Georgians, and they are proven to be effective."
The four bills Park is referencing are:
- HB 44 - Universal Background Check Act - Requires that everyone who acquires a gun, including through private gun sales and transfers, undergoes a background check.
- HB 135 and 161 - Safe Storage - HB 135 establishes that failure to secure a firearm that is subsequently accessed by a minor and publicly displayed or used for a threat of violence, or accessed by anyone and used for a crime, or to cause injury or death shall be a misdemeanor. HB 161 requires that any firearm that might be accessed by a minor be safely secured.
- HB 584 - Georgia Red Flag Protective Order Act - Permits state courts to order the temporary removal of firearms from a person they believe may present an imminent danger to themselves or others.
Edward Smith runs a nonprofit helping people paralyzed by gun violence and thinks one of the best ways lawmakers could curb it – is by encouraging safe storage methods.
“It's about safety as far as the gun storage," Smith said. "A lot of guns being used wrongfully are stolen weapons."
This push from local Democrats comes following the recent mass shootings in Georgia, including the one last week in Midtown Atlanta. An online petition for the public was set up to schedule a special session.
The letter also said the group wants to create a bipartisan committee to prevent gun violence.
“The status quo is not acceptable," Park said. "The current situation and change are not impossible. It is up to us as we, the people, to take back out legislature."
A spokesperson for Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declined to comment specifically on a special session. They referred 11Alive to a statement made about last week’s shooting, where Kemp offered prayers for those impacted and praise for law enforcement who responded to the tragedy.