Huckaby said during testimony before the house Judiciary Committee that he understood both sides of the argument but still opposed the legislation.
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Saying “colleges have been treated as sanctuaries of learning where firearms have not been allowed”, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal vetoed a bill Tuesday that would have allowed licensed owners to carry guns on campus in all but a few buildings.
The group said it would work with Georgia lawmakers to reintroduce legislation next year.
Without a doubt, Deal faced aggressive lobbying to block the measures.
The state’s business community and economic giants including Apple, the Walt Disney Co. and the National Football League campaigned against the religious bill – which many viewed as a slam at gay marriage – and warned it would jeopardize Georgia’s economy.
In both cases, Deal offered lengthy, written veto messages, relying on legal precedents.
Georgia State’s University President Mark Becker told The Signal he reached out to Deal’s office personally in an effort to sway the governor to veto.
Republicans will not be able to override Deal’s veto, since the legislature has already adjourned for the year.
Deal has not indicated whom he will appoint to serve through the end of 2018 in the newly created positions.
Deal suggested some revisions to the bill and some students agree the bill should include some preliminary precautions.
Nathan Deal said in a statement Tuesday that he had several concerns with allowing guns on campuses, including the presence of daycare centers and the gun-free history of public colleges in Georgia.
In issuing the veto, Deal cited an 1824 case during the establishment of the University of Virginia in which officials chose to bar students from “keeping or using weapons or arms of any kind”.
“At a time when our Second Amendment rights are under attack, I believed and still believe that it is very important that we do all that is necessary and proper to strengthen our constitutional protections”, Ralston said in a statement. “They apparently believe that the colleges are not providing adequate security on their campuses and that civilian police are not doing so on the sidewalks, streets and parking lots students use as they go to and come from classes”.
The National Rifle Association also vowed to bring the bill back to the General Assembly at a future date, local media reported.
Protesters rallied against the campus-carry legislation last month in Athens, Ga., home of the U. of Georgia. They say the new legislation will allow teachers to teach, without having to construct a classroom around standardized tests.
According to the AP, nine states now allow concealed handguns on campus: Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Oregon, Texas, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin. It would have allowed anyone over 21 to carry a gun on campuses, as long as they had a weapons license.
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The measure had always been sought by conservatives and Second Amendment activists who cast it as a crucial safety measure for students, faculty and administrators to protect themselves.
