ATLANTA — Following a mass shooting at Apalachee High, where four people were killed and several others were injured, some Georgia politicians are calling for gun reform.
On Friday, Democrats at the State Capitol building urged Gov. Brian Kemp to call a special session of the legislature to enact new gun laws.
"How could a 14-year-old get access to this gun?" asked state Rep. Michelle Au (D-Johns Creek), who sponsored the Pediatric Safe Storage Act that failed to get a vote in the GOP-led legislature. "I think safe storage in a very obvious, easy-to-understand way could have prevented this tragedy. I think there were a lot of missed opportunities here."
Colt Gray, 14, was arrested in the deadly shooting and faces felony murder and other charges. His father, Colin Gray, was also arrested for supplying the assault rifle-style weapon gun to his son, "knowing he posed a threat to others," according to warrants.
Gov. Kemp has already said the immediate aftermath of a mass shooting is not the time for politics, and he repeated it in a statement Friday.
But, Democrats say there’s no better time, who have tried for years to rein in Georgia's gun laws.
Instead, Republicans led by Govs. Nathan Deal and Brian Kemp have expanded gun rights over the last decade – culminating with Kemp’s signing of a bill eliminating the permit requirement to carry a concealed firearm.
"Is there a convenient time to point out that the policy changes that you ignored over and over again could have prevented this tragedy from occurring?" asked state Rep. Saira Draper (D-Atlanta).
An 11Alive News analysis shows that 34 gun bills were introduced in the last two-year legislative session, most of them from Democrats.
They ranged from assault rifle restrictions to "red flag" laws to bills requiring safe storage of guns and limiting access to minors.
Only one of the 34 measures passed this year. HB 1018 was a Republican bill outlawing discrimination against the firearms industry. It’s now state law.
"We’re more concerned with what books our children can read in classrooms than we are with their safety," said state Rep. Omari Crawford (D-Decatur).
Democrats said the killings at Apalachee High School should signal Republicans to rethink. In particular, they say a bill requiring safe firearms storage could have saved lives in Barrow County this week.
Though Republicans resist politicizing gun deaths, they have enthusiastically said that the death of Laken Riley in Athens, allegedly killed by an immigrant, is a good reason to tighten border security.
A look at the 34 gun bills in Georgia legislature:
- HB 1018: Firearms Industry Nondiscrimination Act (GOP bill, passed both chambers and signed into law this year)
- HB 44: Universal background checks
- HB 45: Three-day waiting period
- HB 135: Creates the offense of failing to secure a firearm
- HB 161: Safe Storage Act
- HB 195: Requires training course for carry permit
- HB 224: Creates the offense of failure to report lost or stolen firearm
- HB 293: Bolsters Second Amendment Rights (GOP bill)
- HB 366: Creates the offense of failure to secure a firearm
- HB 446: Creates the offense of drive-by shooting
- HB 553: "Red flag" restriction of gun rights
- HB 554: Creates the offense of furnishing an assault rifle to minors
- HB 555: Firearms and Weapons Act
- HB 560: revision to conceal-carry law (GOP bill)
- HB 584: "Red flag" restriction of gun rights
- HB 855: Safe storage law
- HB 875: "Red flag" restriction for those convicted in family violence cases
- HB 903: State code mimicking federal Brady law
- HB 971: Tax credit given to those acquiring safe storage items (GOP bill)
- HB 1009: Second Amendment Preservation Act (GOP bill)
- HB 1111: Prohibits storage of gun in car or vessel
- HB 1160: Restricts gun sales
- HB 1506: Restricts assault rifles
- HB 1511: Regulates shooting ranges (GOP bill)
- HR 56: Defines gun violence as a public health issue
- SB 7: Relates to crimes committed with a gun or knife (GOP bill)
- SB 40: Relates to unlawful possession of firearms
- SB 67: Second Amendment Preservation Act (GOP bill)
- SB 75: Restricts accessibility to children
- SB 119: "Red flag" law restricting those with family violence records
- SB 219: Outlines "Brady" exemption (GOP bill)
- SB 253: Restricts firearms in proximity to a medical facility
- SB 340: Gun safety bill, gutted and rewritten to relate to diesel fuel (passed and signed by governor)
- SB 522: Relates to "do not sell" list