Savannah, Georgia – Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr is stepping in to fight what he calls an illegal overreach by the City of Savannah, which is targeting law-abiding gun owners with new local laws. The move comes after city leaders passed two controversial laws that Carr says go against state law and are meant to punish gun owners responsible when firearms are stolen from vehicles.
In a statement, Carr made his position clear: “This misguided attempt to punish law-abiding Georgians does absolutely nothing to address crime, and it won’t hold up in Court.” He emphasized that the ordinances are not only legally flawed but represent a broader issue of political interference in constitutionally protected rights.
“No matter how much the Mayor disagrees with our laws, he cannot openly infringe on the Second Amendment rights of our citizens. Progressive politics aren’t a defense for government overreach,” Carr added.
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In April 2024, the city passed the laws as part of a local attempt to stop gun violence. These regulations seek to penalize individuals whose firearms are stolen from unattended vehicles, holding them responsible for failing to secure their weapons. Carr says that this way of thinking not only puts the blame in the wrong place, but it also breaks state law, which says that local governments can’t control who can own, transport, or carry guns.
Carr issued a letter to Savannah officials in May 2024, asking them to withdraw the laws. He said that the regulations were against state law and that the city could be sued if they kept enforcing them. City leaders did not change their minds, even when they were warned.
Carr has now backed a lawsuit against Savannah’s activities by drafting a legal brief in support of people who want to stop the bylaws from being enforced. His involvement shows that the state believes that Georgia law should defend gun rights equally, no matter what municipal policies say.
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As the lawsuit continues forward, the decision might set a big example for how far cities and towns can go to stop gun violence without breaking state laws. Carr’s concerns go beyond legal details; he wants to protect basic liberties from what he sees as politically motivated overreach.
Find a copy of the brief here. Find a copy of Carr’s previous letter here.
