Georgia Senate approves sales tax holiday for guns, ammo
Why it matters: The legislation, which supporters say promotes hunting and conservation, comes months after a deadly mass shooting at Apalachee High School. Opponents have debated its timing and argue that lawmakers should instead focus on gun safety measures.
Zoom in: The Senate voted along party lines 31-21 to approve Senate Bill 47, which calls for the holiday to begin annually on the second Friday of October and last 11 days.
It would expire on July 1, 2030.
Sales tax exemptions would also apply to gun safes and items like magazines, stocks, barrels and scopes.
What they're saying: Majority caucus chair Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R-Dallas), who sponsored the bill, said the legislation would "promote hunting, conservation and tourism" in the state.
The Senate passed similar legislation in 2024, but that bill would have set aside five days.
Between the lines: The debate quickly shifted to the optics of the Senate passing a bill months after the Apalachee shooting.
Sen. Ed Setzler (R-Acworth), who supports the measure, said some members of the Senate were taking advantage of the shooting in Barrow County to advance their own cause.
"There are members of our body who took the opportunity as well to, I believe, politicize what was a tragedy [and] use it in a way that was directed towards a party agenda to limit and control gun ownership," he said.
The other side: Sen. RaShaun Kemp (D-Atlanta) said the Senate should instead focus on passing bills that would promote the safe storage of firearms.
"Those are the types of bills that we should be addressing today, to address what happened at Apalachee and making sure that it does not happen in any more schools in the state," he said.
Sen. Nikki Merritt (D-Grayson) said the comments that the legislation is about supporting hunters and outdoorsmen are a distraction.
"This bill is really about making cheap guns and ammo accessible to any and everyone who wants to have them, regardless of any reason," she said.
Catch up quick: Following the Apalachee mass shooting, Democratic state legislators renewed their calls for stricter gun laws.
Last week, Republican leaders in the Georgia House of Representatives unveiled their plan to improve school safety, including implementing a statewide database to share concerns about students who might pose a safety threat.
Context: 2024 was the most active year for gunfire on school grounds since 2013, when Everytown for Gun Safety started tracking data, Axios' Avery Lotz reports.
What's next: SB 47 will now move to the House, where it will be assigned to a committee and considered for full advancement.
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