Georgia OKs Expanded Concealed-Carry Law
BALDWIN: Well, guns are now allowed in churches, and in bars, and in school zones in the state of Georgia. You can even take a gun into some government buildings and even in some parts of the airport. Roughly a half million Georgians can do this because they have these permits to lawfully carry concealed weapons. And just about four hours ago, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signed this controversial bill into law. Just to be crystal clear here, though, churches and bar owners can still decide not to allow guns, and patrons then have to follow that decision. Let's talk about this with Greg Bluestein. He's a political reporter with the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution," joining me in studio. Good to see you again, sir.</s>GREG BLUESTEIN, POLITICAL REPORTER, "ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION": Good to be here.</s>BALDWIN: First, you were in Ellijay. This is a town some bit outside of the capital of Atlanta. Set the scene for me. (Inaudible).</s>BLUESTEIN: Yeah, it's a north Georgia town, very conservative district. There were hundreds of people there, many of them wielding guns, themselves. Even hours before the event began, there were dozens of people there, waiting. That's how excited they were that this bill was finally going to be signed into law. There's been an effort that stretched over years to get this bill passed, and it took an election-year cycle for it to get finally signed into law.</s>BALDWIN: I was wondering about the politics of this whole thing myself. You have, just reading about it, some state lawmakers, of course the governor there signing it. And this is what the NRA said, just reading your piece in the "AJC." "This may be most comprehensive pro-gun reform bill in state history." And this actually didn't go as far as some wanted it to.</s>BLUESTEIN: Yeah, there are some very strident pro-gun rights groups out there that wanted it to go even farther. They wanted it to include provisions to allow campus carry, people to carry their guns on college campuses, as well as in the capitol building and behind some security structures. So they wanted the guns in capitols, as well.</s>BALDWIN: So then on the flipside, no protesters in Ellijay, but protesters in the capitol, right?</s>BLUESTEIN: Yeah, there was a protest across the street from the capitol this morning at 11:00. There was dozens saying this will lead to another cycle of violence, more bloodshed, more problems.</s>BALDWIN: Call this the guns everywhere law. Gabby Giffords, Representative Gabby Giffords tried to block this. What would -- how has the governor responded to criticisms that it would lead to more violence?</s>BLUESTEIN: He said today that this is a bill for law-abiding citizens, help protect law-abiding citizens, it will have no impact on those who don't have permits because they don't have permits in the first place. The law enforcement community has raised very big concerns about this.</s>BALDWIN: For example?</s>BLUESTEIN: There's a provision in the bill that basically arms police officers for being able to check the permit of people unless there's probable cause to do so. Some law enforcement officers are worried, sheriffs are worried they won't have grounds to stop people if they're walking around with a gun in their pocket.</s>BALDWIN: I'm curious, how are pastors responding to this?</s>BLUESTEIN: Pastors, a lot we have talked to are also concerned with it. For pastors to opt in, at first the bill would have been opt out which meant unilaterally --</s>BALDWIN: Automatic.</s>BLUESTEIN: -- guns would be allowed in. Instead it's an opt-in. Law enforcement officers aren't concerned about the church element, but of course, the courthouse element, gun allowed in courthouses ahead of the metal detectors and other security provisions there are concerns from city officials, local officials in that provision of the bill as well.</s>BALDWIN: I don't know if you know the answer to this, but when you think of the law, is this a first as far as all 0 the locations you could legally carry a gun in the nation?</s>BLUESTEIN: The gun-rights folks say that other states, including Vermont, that are more libertarian, and have longer-standing rules, we're playing catch up to them. Georgia is, that is. But there's concerns that this will lead to even more looser restrictions in the future, like the capitol, like campus-carry, like other provisions, down the road.</s>BALDWIN: Wow, Greg Bluestein, thank you so much for reporting on this.</s>BLUESTEIN: Thanks for having me.</s>BALDWIN: And the hustle back from Ellijay for us to join me in studio, I really appreciate it, from the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution." Coming up next here, we are just minutes away, seven minutes away, from the Closing Bell. We'll take you live to the New York Stock Exchange. There she is, Alison Kosik, standing by. Got some news when it comes to tech stocks, next here on CNN.