Bill Text: GA HB286 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Licenses; handgun safety course; provide
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-02-05 - House Second Readers [HB286 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2009-HB286-Introduced.html
09 LC 21
0065
House
Bill 286
By:
Representative Marin of the
96th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 16-11-129 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to license to carry a pistol or revolver and temporary renewal permit, so as to
provide that persons applying for such a license shall complete a handgun safety
course; to provide that the Department of Public Safety shall promulgate
regulations establishing criteria for such courses; to provide that the
department shall approve persons to conduct such training; to provide an
effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 16-11-129 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to license
to carry a pistol or revolver and temporary renewal permit, is amended by
revising subsection (a) as follows:
"(a)
Application for
license or renewal license; term. The
judge of the probate court of each county may, on application under oath and on
payment of a fee of $15.00, issue a license or renewal license valid for a
period of five years to any person whose domicile is in that county or who is on
active duty with the United States armed forces and who is not a domiciliary of
this state but who either resides in that county or on a military reservation
located in whole or in part in that county at the time of such application,
which license or renewal license shall authorize that person to carry any pistol
or revolver in any county of this state notwithstanding any change in that
person´s county of residence or state of domicile. Applicants shall submit
the application for a license or renewal license to the judge of the probate
court on forms prescribed and furnished free of charge to persons wishing to
apply for the license or renewal license.
Applicants
shall provide a recent passport sized photograph and proof of successful
completion of a handgun safety course approved by the Department of Public
Safety within three years of the
application. An applicant who is not a
United States citizen shall provide sufficient personal identifying data,
including without limitation his or her place of birth and United States issued
alien
or
admission number, as the Georgia Bureau of Investigation may prescribe by rule
or regulation. An applicant who is in nonimmigrant status shall provide proof
of his or her qualifications for an exception to the federal firearm prohibition
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 922(y). Forms shall be designed to elicit
information from the applicant pertinent to his or her eligibility under this
Code section, including citizenship, but shall not require data which is
nonpertinent or irrelevant such as serial numbers or other identification
capable of being used as a de facto registration of firearms owned by the
applicant. The Department of Public Safety shall furnish application forms and
license forms required by this Code section. The forms shall be furnished to
each judge of each probate court within the state at no cost."
SECTION
2.
Said
Code section is further amended by adding a new subsection to read as
follows:
"(d.1)(1)
Handgun
safety course.
The Department of Public Safety shall promulgate regulations containing general
guidelines for a basic handgun safety course, which shall entail at least eight
hours of instruction and shall include, at a minimum, the
following:
(A)
Information on the statutory and case law of this state relating to handguns and
to the use of deadly force;
(B)
Information on handgun use and safety;
(C)
Information on the proper storage practice for handguns with an emphasis on
storage practices that reduces the possibility of accidental injury to a child;
and
(D)
The actual firing of the handgun in the presence of the instructor.
(2)
The department shall promulgate regulations establishing criteria for approval
as a handgun safety instructor. Any state, county, or municipal law enforcement
agency, nationally recognized organization that promotes gun safety, or operator
of a private shooting range may apply to the department for authorization to
conduct an approved handgun safety course. The department shall approve such
organizations if it is satisfied that the instructors and facilities meet or
exceed the guidelines and qualifications contained in the regulations
promulgated by the department. Any person or organization which is approved to
provide a basic handgun safety course shall be authorized to charge a reasonable
fee for such
instruction."
SECTION
3.
This
Act shall become effective on January 1, 2010.
SECTION
4.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.