Georgia – In Georgia, a new proposal, Senate Bill 344, might let people buy guns, ammunition, and gun-related items without paying taxes for five days starting the second Friday in October each year. The Senate approved it with a vote of 30-22 on Tuesday, February 6.
Republican Senator Jason Anavitarte is the bill supporter
The bill’s supporter, Republican Senator Jason Anavitarte, believes the bill will boost hunting, help with wildlife conservation, and attract tourists to the state. He thinks that by not collecting taxes for a few days, more people might start hunting, which could help with conservation efforts and eventually increase the money made from taxes used for conservation.
Anavitarte also mentioned that hunting is important in the area because there are no natural predators for deer. This means hunting helps keep deer numbers manageable, stops them from damaging crops, and lowers the chances of car accidents involving deer.
Sen. Jason Esteves argues that this bill is to boost sales for the sole benefit of gun makers
However, Sen. Jason Esteves, a Democrat from Atlanta, suspects that the real benefit of the tax break might be more for gun makers than for the people living in Georgia.
“Instead of looking out for children and families, we’re looking out for gun manufacturers,” he said, according to The Associated Press. “You want to pander to politics that at the end of the day do not help everyday Georgians.”
Democrats and some Republicans have suggested a $300 discount for those buying equipment to keep guns safe and for gun safety training.
People in Georgia who have had family members die because of gun violence are not in favor of the bill. Aaliyah Strong, who became a widow in 2022 when her husband was shot, expressed to Atlanta News First that the bill feels like an insult to people who have lost someone to gun violence, including herself.
Crime and offenders not in the focus
Senator Anavitarte, who supports the bill, doesn’t think it will result in dangerous people getting guns. He argues that people involved in crime or illegal gun activities aren’t concerned about saving on sales tax when buying guns. He believes they’re not the ones paying taxes on guns in Georgia anyway.
Read also: Ga. House passed tax relief package, Georgia taxpayers to save about $1.1 billion this year
Next, the bill will be considered by the House. If it gets enough votes by the House representatives and in the Senate, it will be sent to the governor of the state to become a law.