With the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in favor of the Second Amendment in D.C. v. Heller last month, all eyes are on the federal loosening of gun restrictions. The states, however, have also been busy in this realm. The Georgia legislature recently amended its firearms laws to allow registered gun owners to carry concealed weapons on public transportation and in restaurants serving liquor. The law went into effect last Tuesday, but one public space that has refused to abide by the less stringent regulations is the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Airport director Benjamin R. DeCosta maintains that operations in the Atlanta terminals, the busiest in the nation, will continue as before the Georgia amendments. Speaking on Tuesday, DeCosta announced:

“Our view is that the law yesterday was the same as it is today. If somebody comes through here tomorrow or the next day with guns, they will be handled in the appropriate manner.”

The pro-gun rights group GeorgiaCarry.org has taken airport and city officials to court, arguing that the laws passed clearly state that concealed firearms may be carried in any form of public transportation, including the airport. DeCosta counters that Georgia law prohibits concealed weapons in “areas of public gathering,” which city officials say includes the Hartsfield Terminal.

Source: The New York Times