Georgia senators push gun safety legislation after Apalachee shooting

A flower memorial at Apalachee High School.
A flower memorial at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

After the recent deadly shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia Democratic State Sen. Emanuel Jones is chairing a state legislative committee that could reshape the state’s lax gun safety laws.

Georgia has some of the highest rates of intentional or non-intentional gun violence in the United States, according to the latest statistics from Everytown for Gun Safety. The nonprofit cited gun violence data from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention saying that Georgia ranks eighth nationwide in gun deaths, with the mortality rate increasing 56% from 2013 to 2022.

The Senate Study Committee on Safe Firearm Storage is studying gun safety proposals and considering legislation for the next session, which starts in January.