Georgia Supreme Court upholds ban on those under 21 from carrying handguns in public
The Georgia Supreme Court upheld a law that bans most individuals under 21 from carrying handguns in public. This ruling followed a lawsuit from Thomas Stephens, a 20-year-old man who claimed the law infringed on his constitutional rights after being denied a weapons carry license. The court emphasized that while Georgia's Constitution guarantees the right to bear arms, it permits the General Assembly to regulate how they are carried. This decision comes amid heightened discussions on gun control in Georgia, particularly after a mass shooting at Apalachee High School last September. Stephens' attorney criticized the law as arbitrary, given the military training exemptions.
The ruling further solidifies Georgia's reputation for having some of the least restrictive gun laws in the nation.