Georgia Governor Purdue Signs Gun Bill

[BamaBoy]

When are Tennesseeans going to wake up!!!! Let's put the pressure on.

Gov. Perdue Signs HB 89
May 14th, 2008
At approximately 3 p.m. on May 14, 2008, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed HB 89 into law. The bill, sponsored and advocated by GCO, is the most important pro-gun legislation in the history of Georgia. When the bill takes effect on July 1, 2008, it no longer will be a separate crime, for people with firearms licenses to carry a firearm into a restaurant that serves alcohol, on public transportation, or in state parks. The bill also relaxes car carry restrictions for people eligible for firearms licenses and tightens the time frames for issuance of firearms licenses by probate judges.

The author of the bill, Rep. Tim Bearden worked tirelessly to see it passed, and GCO thanks him for his unwavering support. Sen. John Douglas championed the bill in the senate. Both legislators recently received GCO’s Legislator of the Year and Senator of the Year awards, respectively. GCO congratulates the leadership and members of both the senate and the house for shepherding this important legislation, and the governor for signing it into law.
GCO also wishes to thank its many members who attended public hearings (that Maureen Downey of the AJC claims never occurred) and media events, and who contacted their legislators and the governor in support of the bill. Without the support of GCO members, this “dangerous bill” that makes Georgia “become less safe” (according to Ms. Downey) never would have been possible.

[johnharris]

It is going to take a strong grassroots presence.

It will not happen with NRA-ILA sending in a staff lobbyist who has TN and several other states to cover. TN raises enough money for NRA (Friends events) and by direct donations that Tennessee NRA members should have two things
1) A Tennessean sitting on the 70+ member NRA board (actually its my position that each state should have at least one citizen on the board)

2) An in-state contract lobbyist. NRA has contract lobbyists in some states but not Tennessee. Why not?

These problems with NRA are one of the reasons TFA was founded in 1995 but its clear that politically NRA has more to offer legislators and potential legislators during election years because it has the money, name and resources (for now). Either NRA needs some reform and respect for Tennessee NRA members or TFA needs to grow even stronger.