Georgia Senate passes bill ending gun license requirement

By SUDHIN THANAWALA
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia’s state Senate has passed a Republican-backed bill that would do away with the need for a license to carry a handgun in public, thereby eliminating a current background check requirement. Democrats said the measure would fuel gun deaths and proposed an amendment that would expand background check requirements, but the GOP-controlled Senate defeated it. The bill passed along party lines Monday and now goes to the House. Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has backed the revocation, saying residents should have their constitutional rights protected and be able to protect themselves amid a spike in violent crime. According to Stateline, more than 20 other states allow concealed weapons in public without a permit.