A Senate bill would lower to 18 the state’s prohibition on anyone under the age of 21 from carrying a gun, but only for military service members who have completed basic training.

The lead sponsor of Senate Bill 74 is Sen. Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville, a U.S. Air Force veteran and member of the National Rifle Association.

The proposed limited expansion of the state’s gun laws comes as some advocates have pushed for a broader expansion, including allowing college students to carry firearms on campus and in dormitories. Under current Georgia law, students can’t keep weapons in dorms or classrooms, but they may keep them locked in their cars.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Ja'Quon Stembridge — pictured speaking at the monthly Henry County Republican Party meeting in July — was elected over the summer as the assistant secretary of the Georgia GOP. (Jenni Girtman for the AJC)

Credit: Jenni Girtman

Featured

Austin Walters died from an overdose in 2021 after taking a Xanax pill laced with fentanyl, his father said. A new law named after Austin and aimed at preventing deaths from fentanyl has resulted in its first convictions in Georgia, prosecutors said. (Family photo)

Credit: Family photo