A day after voting to legalize guns on Georgia's college campuses, a state Senate panel on Tuesday approved a measure that would also allow students and staff to defend themselves with Tasers and stun guns.
House Bill 792 would legalize carrying what are formally called electroshock weapons onto the state's university and college campuses. It would require, however, that they only be used for self-defense or the defense of others.
"It's really about options," state Rep. Buzz Brockway, R-Lawrenceville, the bill's sponsor, told the Senate Judiciary Committee. Brockway said that even if guns were allowed on campus, some students may not be comfortable carrying a lethal weapon.
Although the original bill included no age limit to carry the weapons, committee members added a mandate that said students either needed to be 18 years old or had to be currently enrolled in classes on campus. The latter portion of that rule would apply to younger students such as high schoolers who are dual-enrolled and taking college classes.
HB 792 now goes to the Senate Rules Committee, which decides which bills receive a floor vote in the chamber.
About the Author
