A new Georgia law will allow concealed handguns at tailgates

Georgia’s House Bill 280, the state’s “campus carry” gun bill, was signed by Gov. Nathan Deal earlier this month, and it is set to become a law on July 1 of this year.

On Wednesday, The University System of Georgia released a set of guidelines for the implementation of the bill, and they contain specifics regarding having concealed handguns on campus, including restrictions for sporting events. According to the newly released “Guidelines for the Implementation of House Bill 280,” handguns will not be allowed in buildings used for sporting events (i.e. Sanford Stadium) but they are permitted at tailgates for those events.

Buildings and property used for athletic sporting events. This exception includes stadiums, gymnasiums and similar facilities in which intercollegiate games are staged (but does not extend to so-called “tailgating” areas where fans may congregate outside the gates of the sports facility). It does not extend to student recreation centers and similar facilities that are not used for intercollegiate games.

Other buildings in which a concealed handgun is not permitted on campus include the likes of faculty and administrative buildings, student housing, rooms that are being used for classes, along with some other exceptions.

“I understand that many of you have strong feelings about this bill,” University System of Georgia chancellor Steve Wrigley said in the official release of the guidelines. “Yet, whether you opposed or supported the legislation, it will soon be state law, and I respectfully ask everyone to exercise patience, understanding and respect as we implement it.

“We all share the same goal of ensuring a safe campus environment. We should work together to implement the law as written and thoughtfully address any complications that may arise.”

The state of Arkansas recently passed a similar law, which allows guns to be carried into public buildings. At first, that law included Arkansas’ football stadium, which seats 72,000 people. About a week later, however, the state passed SB724, which exempts public sports stadiums from the law.

Arkansas and Georgia aren’t the first states to pass laws such as these for on-campus concealed handgun carrying.

Washington recently had a similar proposed bill that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, several Alabama schools revised their policies to maintain campus gun bans after a state public-places law passed, Ohio State bans firearms in its stadium despite a state law that allows them, FSU’s been sued for requiring guns to remain locked in cars, and the NFL’s blanket gun ban has so far only been surpassed by a Texas state law allowing off-duty law enforcement to carry.