Georgia’s Attorney General Chris Carr has declared Savannah’s new gun storage ordinance “void,” citing conflicts with state law, while Savannah’s Mayor Van Johnson remains defiant insisting his city intends to enforce the law, making gun-owning citizens who get victimized by criminals possibly just as equally as liable as the criminals themselves.
The ordinance, unanimously approved by the Savannah City Council and signed by the mayor, makes it illegal for gun owners to leave unsecured firearms in their vehicles, WSAV News 3 reported. Violators face a $1,000 fine and up to 30 days in jail. The law specifically outlaws leaving an unsecured, visible gun in an occupied car in Savannah. “Secure” is defined by the law as a gun that is stored in a glove compartment, console, locked truck, or area behind the last upright seat of a car when leaving it unoccupied.
Carr’s letter to Savannah city officials, including City Attorney Bates Lovett, stressed that Georgia law prohibits local governments from regulating the “possession, ownership, transport, or carrying of firearms.” He noted that the ordinance appears to be ultra vires and emphasized the city’s potential civil liability under state law.
“We have not undertaken any analysis of the potential consequences of adoption and enforcement of ordinances that are void. However, at minimum, it appears that the city should note the potential civil liability,” Carr wrote.
Despite the attorney general’s stance, Mayor Johnson remains defiant, urging enforcement of the ordinance.
“If a gun is stolen out of your car because of your negligence, we’ll prosecute the person that took it for entering your vehicle, but we’re also gonna prosecute you for recklessness,” Johnson said during a Facebook Live session that was reported by WJCL 22 News. “You have a duty to secure your firearm in this city.”
Johnson further challenged the attorney general’s directive on social media, stating, “The AG told me the new gun storage ordinance was illegal. Well, we don’t agree so we’re saying take us to court. Sue us, we’ll go to the Supreme Court and let the United States Supreme Court say it.”
The mayor also expressed confidence in the city’s legal representation.
“We got lawyers too, we pay good lawyers, we have some of the best lawyers and so we can agree with our attorney general so the gun ordinance doesn’t go anywhere. Sorry,” he added.
Carr mentioned that his office provides a courtesy review of proposed ordinances and had Savannah requested a review, they would have been informed of the legal conflict. Georgia has preemption statutes in effect in the state that does not allow municipalities to pass laws that exceed the state’s gun laws.
Read the Georgia AG’s full letter to Savannah here.
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Well that’s one way to waste taxpayer money.
That’s listed on page one of the Democrapic Management Handbook For Dummies.
LOL buddy doesn’t even make it past the forward for my handbook.
Any bets the mayor is getting kickbacks from his representing lawyers?
The mayor moved from New York a few years ago because of bad democrat politics, just so he could run for office and push the same agenda in a Republican State. Go home yank!
Meanwhile on OP Live the cops search for an individual known to break into cars, search the glove box and look for lock boxes because that’s where the valuables will be.
““If a gun is stolen out of your car because of your negligence, we’ll prosecute the person that took it for entering your vehicle, but we’re also gonna prosecute you for recklessness,”
First, something is not stolen because of “negligence” – its stolen because someone stole it.
Second, penalizing the victim of such theft crime is insane.
Do you also say to rape victims “you were raped because you were negligent in being out in public therefore we are going to penalize you too for being reckless” ?
Do you also say to store-robbery victims “you were robbed because you were negligent in being open to the public therefore we are going to penalize you too for being reckless” ?
Why did you people in Savannah elect a mayor with a single digit IQ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_R._Johnson
It appears the thief will have to testify on behalf of the city. And unless you are from Muskokee Oklahoma who in their right mind leaves a firearm in plain sight?
AHEM….
We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.
Ronald Reagan
What about prosecuting the people responsible for the gumn free zone that requires me to leave my gumn in the car
Fine point
An idea so crazy it just might work!
I seldom agree with Debbie but you’re a lunatic if you leave your gat in plain sight in your vehicle. Mandate’s are BS. Quit crapping on Oklahoma. I have some relatives there in great peril from tornado’s🙄
Nor so fast…Stooping to call it crapping on OK was and is total ignorant crap on your part. If you have to state you seldom agree with me sounds like you are appeasing your trashy pals with a wimpy disclaimer. Here’s how it works…You see something that I post and you disagree then you or any one of your pals can try to debunk it…good luck with that.
t
Princess I doubt ANYONE on TTAG agrees with your BS😀
Not particularly hard for when you shill for turkroach junk while railing against racism and genocide both they and China participate in. But a broken clock is right twice a day so here you are.
Sulpher sure got flattened. My girlfiend was in Norman when the f5 hit.
It was pretty scary here last night, some limbs down, no electricity for awhile. I’m 8miles from Ok county line.
So this law is illegal. Has been declared null and void. So enforcing that non law is by its very nature a crime?
Dems still want them some lynchings.
The traditional Democrats will start cross burnings again in the near future.
I don’t consider it a good idea to keep firearms in vehicles in general. I don’t recommend it to anyone regardless of what the law is.
I often have a gun in my vehicle.
It is never in plain view.
This is a silly, feel-good law that means nothing to anyone.
Perfect legislation. ( if you’re a politician)
I do not leave my firearmns in plain view.
It’s to tempting to a thief, gunms are hot items, and if a thief see’s your gunm a window isn’t that hard to smash.
Make it against the law? We’ve already got enough laws, common sense should be enough on a personal choice of how to store your weapons. Around here a person would see a lot of pickups with gunm racks in the back window.
Then the drugs became prolific, and the thieving got worse, and it wasn’t wise to leave a firearmn in plain sight.