With the Senate passage of the campus carry bill Tuesday, guns may become a reality at Georgia’s public colleges and universities.
Will they also become a reality in some childcare centers on those campuses?
This year’s version of the bill cites a few places on campus where guns still would be banned, including preschools, which was a concern last year of Gov. Nathan Deal. Deal vetoed a campus carry bill in 2016, but has not said whether he will do so this year if the new bill reaches his desk.
However, while House Bill 280 lists childcare centers as one of the places where firearms would still be outlawed, the legislation has loopholes that worry advocates. Among them: If there are more than three childcare sites on the campus, then guns would be permitted. The bill states: "Not apply to preschool space ….if such public institution of postsecondary education has more than three buildings on the campus housing preschool space."
After the passage of the bill, one of the most prominent early childhood advocacy organizations raised concerns.
In a statement, Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students said: “This year, we have been gratified to see that there is an exclusion for Child Care on campus — but we believe that limiting the exemption to instances when there are three or fewer buildings housing preschool space is arbitrary and unnecessary. Moreover, this limitation is confusing. If a campus has four buildings housing pre-school space, does that mean that the exemption applies to three of the four – or that the exemption applies to none of the spaces? There is no similar limit to the number of campus dorms, fraternities or sororities. Why is this limit on buildings necessary for child care?”
To read more, go to the AJC Get Schooled blog.
