First, it is important to reiterate that House Bill 280 establishes that anyone who
is licensed to carry a handgun may do so – in a concealed manner only – anywhere on
Georgia’s public college and university campuses, except in certain areas that are
specifically listed in the law. If an area of campus is not mentioned in one of those
exceptions, license-holders may carry guns there. Unlike “campus carry” laws in some
other states, HB 280 does not give colleges and universities in Georgia discretion
to prohibit handguns on their campuses or to add any additional exceptions to the
ability to carry handguns beyond those already contained in the law.
Yes. HB 280 sets out specific excepted areas in which license-holders may not carry handguns,
and laboratories are not one of those exceptions. Handguns would only be prohibited
in a laboratory if the particular space were to fall within one of the specific exceptions.
Yes. Summer camps are not set out as an exception to the ability to carry concealed handguns
on campus in HB 280. Handguns are prohibited, however, in childcare spaces, which
include programs for children under 18 years of age that are located within an enclosed
space behind a controlled access point (meaning access via personnel stationed at
the door or an electronic mechanism) limited to authorized people.
Yes. Health centers and their examination rooms are not specifically excepted from the
general rule that license-holders may carry concealed handguns on campus. Handguns
are only prohibited in those areas of health centers that fall within a specific exception
in HB 280, such as faculty, staff and administrative offices.
Handguns are prohibited in buildings or property that are used for intercollegiate
games at all times, not just those specific areas of the facility in which games are
played. The same is true of student housing facilities; handguns are prohibited throughout
the facilities, not only in the specific areas where students reside.
No. HB 280 only applies “in any building or on real property owned by or leased to any
public... college, or university....or other public institution of postsecondary education.”
When students, faculty or staff leave campus for school- related activities, they
will be governed by the weapons laws that apply to their off- campus location.
No. HB only applies within the State of Georgia. People at locations that are owned or
leased by USG colleges and universities but lie outside of Georgia will be governed
by the applicable local laws of the city, county, state, and/or country in which the
facilities lie.
No. HB 280 only prohibits handguns in rooms and spaces that are being used for classes
in which high school students are enrolled. It does not prohibit license- holders
from carrying concealed handguns in other area where those high school students may
go while on campus.
No. State law grants license-holders the ability to carry handguns to public college
and university classes (except those in which high school students are enrolled),
and faculty members may not ask license-holders to reveal that they are carrying concealed
handguns or in any way discourage them doing what they are legally allowed to do.
No. It is the responsibility of those who choose to carry handguns on campus to make
themselves aware of where and when they can do so. They can learn which of their classes
include high school students by asking the registrar, as can faculty members and their
classmates. In fact, the USG does not recommend that faculty members make announcements
in class because it may lead to confusion among students resulting from inconsistencies
between different professors different classes.
Yes. Faculty members can provide information by linking to the USG guidance at the
usg.edu website.
It is the responsibility of those who choose to carry handguns on campus to make arrangements
for the proper and safe storage of those guns. Current law already allows for the
securing of guns in parked cars. License-holders can also make arrangements for storage
off-campus.
Yes. The immediate situation should be handled by law enforcement, but afterwards the
conduct may be treated as a violation of the student code of conduct or personnel
rules. That process should then be handled in the same manner as any other student
or employee misconduct case would be handled.