Georgia Senate Bill SB66

Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/30/25
• Refer: 2/3/25

Caption

Crimes; persons convicted of misdemeanor crimes of family violence from receiving, possessing, or transporting a firearm; prohibit

Summary

SB 66 would expand Georgia’s firearm prohibitions to cover people convicted of misdemeanor crimes of family violence and people subject to qualifying family violence protective orders. The bill defines “misdemeanor crime of family violence” to include certain misdemeanor assault, battery, and pointing-a-gun offenses when committed against specified family or household members and involving physical force or the threatened use of a firearm. It also treats qualifying protective orders, issued after notice and an opportunity to be heard, as triggering firearm restrictions. The bill requires courts, upon conviction for covered offenses or upon issuance of a qualifying protective order, to notify the person orally and in writing that they may not receive, possess, or transport firearms. Courts must also order surrender of firearms to a federally licensed firearms dealer within 24 hours and, if needed, hold a hearing within 72 hours to confirm compliance or the absence of firearms. SB 66 further makes it a felony for prohibited persons to possess firearms and adds penalties for attempts to purchase or obtain transfer of a firearm while prohibited.

Impact

SB 66 would amend Title 16 and Title 19 of the Georgia Code by creating a new firearm-disqualification category for misdemeanor domestic violence offenders and by making firearm surrender procedures mandatory in those cases. It would also revise existing firearm-possession laws to expressly include persons convicted of misdemeanor family violence offenses and persons subject to family violence protective orders among those barred from receiving, possessing, or transporting firearms. The bill would affect criminal defendants, domestic violence respondents, courts, law enforcement, and federally licensed firearms dealers, and it would apply prospectively to convictions and protective orders issued on or after July 1, 2025.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be framed as a public-safety and domestic-violence prevention bill. Its structure suggests support for stronger firearm restrictions in family violence cases and for clearer court procedures to enforce those restrictions. No contrary sentiment is documented in the supplied context, but the bill’s mandatory surrender requirements and expanded firearm prohibitions indicate it could draw concern from gun-rights advocates or others wary of broader firearm restrictions.

Contention

The main points of contention likely concern the scope and automatic nature of the firearm ban, especially the inclusion of misdemeanor family violence convictions and protective orders as disqualifying events. Potential concerns may also focus on due process and implementation, including the 24-hour surrender requirement, the 72-hour compliance hearing, and the role of federally licensed firearms dealers in surrendering weapons. Supporters would likely emphasize domestic violence victim safety and consistency with firearm-disqualification policies, while opponents may question whether the bill reaches too broadly or imposes burdensome enforcement obligations.