Republican Gun-Control Pushed In Georgia via HB 472 © 2026 Red Clay Watch

GEORGIA ALERT — HB 472: A Bipartisan Threat to Your Carry Rights

Georgia gun owners — it’s time to wake up and take action.

A new bill from the 2025 legislative session has not died, and unless we mobilize now, it will come roaring back in 2026: House Bill 472 (HB 472). This measure — sponsored by Republicans Rick Jasperse, Clint Crowe, Ron Stephens, Kimberly New, Marcus Wiedower and Democrat Scott Holcomb — seeks to amend Georgia’s concealed-carry law to impose additional prohibited weapons zones inside select properties of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. LegiScan+1

Though the bill stalled in committee last year, thanks in part to the efforts of Rep. Alan Powell, it was only tabled — meaning it is still alive and will be active again in the upcoming session. Those who value our rights should not confuse “tabled” with “dead.” 11Alive

What HB 472 Would Do

HB 472 would add new restrictions by allowing selected fenced-in areas under the authority of the Georgia World Congress Center — located in the heart of downtown Atlanta and hosting major conventions and public events — to become gun-free zones. That means local authorities or property managers could ban firearms in these spaces even though the existing law already preempts local regulations. Georgia 2nd Amendment

Critics argue this is more than a narrow safety provision — it creates a dangerous carve-out in Georgia’s carry protections and undercuts legal precedent from cases like GeorgiaCarry.org (now GA2A.org) v. Atlanta Botanical Garden, which defended statewide preemption.

On Wednesday, Feb 26, there will be a hearing on HB 472 in the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. 

Why This Matters for Gun Rights in Georgia

Supporters frame HB 472 as a public-safety measure for crowded event spaces. But the practical outcome is clear:

• It expands the number of places where law-abiding Georgians cannot defend themselves.

• It potentially sets a precedent for further carve-outs from lawful carry.

• It undermines state preemption, which was designed to keep conflicting gun restrictions from popping up across cities and venues. 

This is exactly the direction gun-control advocates want to push Georgia law, despite the fact that permitless carry has been in place for years with no widespread breakdown of public safety. Wikipedia

Republicans Should Be Called to Account — Even if They’re on “Our Side”

What makes HB 472 especially concerning is its bipartisan sponsorship. Instead of defending the broad carry rights Georgia gun owners fought to secure, several Republican legislators are co-sponsoring a bill that restricts those rights. This isn’t theoretical — it’s happening now.

Rep. Alan Powell stood firm in committee last year against the bill, and he deserves recognition for doing so.

But we can’t leave this fight to one legislator. If Republicans — especially those who campaigned on protecting the Second Amendment — won’t oppose this bill publicly and forcefully, then they need to hear from you.

What Gun-Rights Groups & Citizens Must Do Now

I’ve personally contacted the NRA, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), and the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) — and we need even broader pressure:

✔ Contact your state representative and senator today
✔ Urge major gun-rights groups to issue legislative alerts
✔ Demand that HB 472 not be resurrected or allowed out of committee
✔ Support pro-gun candidates who will stand firm in 2026
✔ Post about this on Facebook and other social media, shine a bright light on this!

Use your voice and your vote. Georgia’s gun rights didn’t come easy, and we won’t defend them by being silent now.

If HB 472 becomes law, it won’t just be an Atlanta World Congress Center rule change — it will be a surrender of principle. And once one restriction is accepted, more will follow.

Is it possible we could find Republicans who will consistently stand on principle — not ones who fall asleep at the wheel or drift toward Democratic talking points when the pressure is on?

We need lawmakers who will walk the walk, not just talk the talk during campaign season.

Men and women of honor who understand that trusting law-abiding citizens is not reckless — it is foundational. Georgians who carry do so to protect themselves and their loved ones, and they deserve the freedom to do that wherever criminals may choose to strike, not just where politicians feel comfortable granting permission.