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A new bill could make firearm purchases in Georgia exempt from taxes for a limited period during each year.
Senate Bill 344 proposes that Georgians will be able to by guns, ammunition and other firearms accessories completely tax free for five days from the second Friday in October every year. The bill passed in the Senate in a 30-22 vote on Tuesday, February 6.
Republican Senator Jason Anavitarte, a sponsor of the bill, said it is designed to "encourage hunting, conservation and tourism" in the southern state. "By carving out a small window of this tax revenue, we hope to expand the base of hunters and increase the overall tax revenue dedicated to conservation," Anavitarte said.
He has argued that because deer do not have any natural predators in the region, hunting is the primary way of keeping the population "at a healthy level and preventing the herd from destroying ag crop and reducing accidents with motorists."
Newsweek has contacted Jason Anavitarte via email for comment.
Atlanta Democrat Sen. Jason Esteves has voiced his suspicion that the tax break favors gun manufacturers instead of Georgia residents.
"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 have also advocated for a $300 tax break on gun safety devices and training, which has also been backed by some Republicans.
Georgians who have lost a loved one to gun violence have also voiced their opposition to the bill. Aaliyah Strong, who lost her husband in 2022 after he was shot, told Atlanta News First that the proposal is "a slap in the face to people like myself, to all the other families who've lost someone to gun violence."
Anavitarte said he doesn't believe the bill will put guns into the hands of dangerous people. "If you're a criminal, if you're an outlaw, if you're an unlawful weapons carrier, if you're in a gang or trying to basically traffic guns through this state, I really don't think you care about the sales tax on an item. And you're not paying a sales tax in this state," he said.
The bill will now progress to the House for another vote. If it passes in both chambers, it will be sent to the state governor to be signed into law.
About the writer
Aliss Higham is a Newsweek reporter based in Glasgow, Scotland. Her focus is reporting on Social Security, other government benefits ... Read more