29-05-2025
Georgia Supreme Court upholds law banning those under 21 carrying handgun in public
ATLANTA (WSAV) —The Georgia Supreme Court upheld the state law that prohibits those under 21 years old from carrying handguns in public Wednesday.
Georgia's highest court rejected the appeal by a 20-year-old who wanted to carry a handgun 'beyond the limited ways he can under Georgia law.'
Georgia law does not allow people under 21 from publicly carrying a handgun, except for members of the military.
Georgians who are at least 18 years old are still allowed to possess and carry handguns on their own property, in their car and in their place of business.
They also can use handguns and long guns for hunting, fishing or sport shooting with a license.
Stephens and the Georgia 2nd Amendment group sued the state after a probate court denied him a weapons carry license. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr's office previously filed a motion to dismiss the suit, which was granted.
Stephens and the group appealed, but the Georgia 2nd Amendment later withdrew their appeal.
Stephens did not allege that this statute violates the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, but that it violated a portion of the Georgia Constitution of 1983, court documents reported.
The Supreme Court said that the law doesn't violate Article I, Section I, Paragraph VIII of the Georgia Constitution.
The justices quoted Paragraph VIII of Georgia's current Constitution which says, '[t]he right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, but the General Assembly shall have power to prescribe the manner in which arms may be borne.'
Read the full decision here:
2025-s25a0334Download
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
