The Campaign Responds to Georgia State Supreme Court’s Guns on Campus Decision in Knox v. State of Georgia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 31, 2023

(Atlanta, GA) – Earlier today, the Georgia State Supreme Court issued their decision in Knox v. State of Georgia. This case was brought 6 years ago by faculty members from universities across Georgia in response to legislation, signed by former Governor Deal in 2017, that changed Georgia law to allow loaded, concealed handguns to be carried onto public college and university campuses, including classrooms and sensitive areas such as research laboratories. The court ruled against the plaintiffs on grounds of “mootness,” never reaching the merits of the faculty members’ argument: the illegality of the state legislature subverting these universities’ control over their own campuses, a principle long enshrined in the Georgia Constitution.

Andy Pelosi, Executive Director of The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus issued the following statement:

“From 2010 – 2017, The Campaign worked in Georgia actively opposing any policy change to Georgia’s long-standing law prohibiting guns in educational spaces. After Governor Deal flip-flopped on his 2016 veto of guns on campus legislation in 2017, we supported the plaintiffs’ lawsuit seeking a reversal of the policy. Of course, we are disappointed by today’s decision from the Georgia Supreme Court. However, we see a silver lining articulated by the Court: that the Georgia Board of Regents has the power under the Georgia Constitution to protect the safety of all public higher education stakeholders by prohibiting the carrying of guns on campus by unauthorized persons. To that end, we call on the Board of Regents to exercise the authority granted to it under the state Constitution by prohibiting guns on campus. This action by the Georgia Board of Regents would not be unprecedented, as the Montana Board of Regents followed a similar path in 2022, exercising their constitutional power to successfully stop a guns on campus law illegally passed by their state legislature and signed by Governor Gianforte.”

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ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN TO KEEP GUNS OFF CAMPUS

The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus works with K-12 schools, colleges and universities across the country to oppose legislative policies that would force loaded, concealed guns on campuses. Since 2008, The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus is the only national organization of its kind tasked with protecting higher educational institutions and the communities they serve. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Contact:  Andy Pelosi, The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus (914-629-6726) [email protected]