Secure Storage Education
This proposal requests a $1 million appropriation in the FY2027 budget for the Georgia Department of Public Safety to establish a statewide public safety campaign promoting the secure storage of firearms. Promoting the adoption of safe firearm practices among Georgia’s gun owners is a research-based solution to address Georgia’s high rates of preventable youth firearm suicides, violence and the theft of guns from vehicles that fuels violent crime.
Take Action
Contact Appropriations leaders to ask for $1 million in secure storage education.
Contact:
Rep. Matt Hatchett, House Appropriations Chair – 404-463-2247, matt.hatchett@house.ga.gov
Rep. Bill Hitchens, House Public Safety Appropriations Subcommittee Chair – 404-656-5126, bill.hitchens@house.ga.gov
Sen. Blake Tillery, Senate Appropriations Chair -404-656-5038, blake.tillery@senate.ga.gov
Sen. John Albers, Senate Public Safety Appropriations Subcommittee Chair – 404-463-8055, john.albers@senate.ga.gov
Sample Script:
We know that there are many priorities when it comes to allocating the state budget, but we also know that Georgians agree that the leading cause of death for children in our state should be high among those priorities. Allocating funding for a public service announcement campaign encouraging safe firearm storage is a concrete step that the legislature can take to combat youth firearm injury and death. Education is a bi-partisan approach that Georgians from all backgrounds support. Let’s take action together. Please support this funding request during your budget hearings.
Firearm Safety Curriculum
Several senators are working on changes to SB 401 that would standardize the curriculum via a collaboration between the Departments of Education, Public Safety and Natural Resources and include a provision to distribute secure storage education materials to families through Georgia’s public schools.
Take Action
Contact the bill sponsor and members of the Senate Education and Youth Committee to ask for the distribution of secure storage education materials to the families of Georgia’s public school students.
Contact:
Sen. Rick Williams, Sponsor of SB 401 – 404-656-0082, rick.williams@senate.ga.gov
Members of the Senate Education and Youth Committee
billy.hickman@senate.ga.gov, chuck.payne@senate.ga.gov, freddie.sims@senate.ga.gov, tim.bearden@senate.ga.gov, sonya.halpern@senate.ga.gov, donzella.james@senate.ga.gov, rashaun.kemp@senate.ga.gov, elena.parent@senate.ga.gov, shawn.still@senate.ga.gov, clint.dixon@senate.ga.gov, greg.dolezal@senate.ga.gov, bo.hatchett@senate.ga.gov, ed.setzler@senate.ga.gov
Sample Script:
Thank you for recognizing the need for firearm safety education in Georgia. Please strengthen SB 401 by establishing standardized materials for K-12 firearm safety education led by the Department of Education and by ensuring that all families of Georgia’s K-12 students receive secure firearm storage education materials.