Georgia Attorney General sends letter saying Savannah gun storage ordinance is ‘void’

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – A letter has been sent by Georgia’s Attorney General to Savannah city officials saying their new gun storage ordinance is void and directly conflicts with Georgia law.

The ordinance, which was approved by the city council and signed by Mayor Van Johnson, states that it is illegal for gun owners to leave unsecured firearms in their cars. The signing of the ordinance put in place a $1,000 fine and up to 30 days in jail for anyone found guilty.

“If a gun is stolen out of your car because of your negligence, we’ll prosecute the person that took it for entering your vehicle, but we’re also gonna prosecute you for recklessness,” Johnson said in a recent Facebook Live. “You have a duty to secure your firearm in this city.

In the letter, Attorney General Chris Carr points to a Georgia law that says, “No county or municipal corporation shall regulate in any manner the possession, ownership, transport or carrying of firearms or other weapons.”

Carr ended the letter by saying, “We have not undertaken any analysis of the potential consequences of adoption and enforcement of ordinances that are void. However, at minimum, it appears that the city should note the potential civil liability.”

It is also mentioned in his letter to Savannah officials that Carr’s office provides a courtesy review of all ordinances proposed by local municipalities. He says that they are not aware of any request by the city to do a review but had a request been filed, they would have informed the city that the ordinance directly conflicts with state law.

In a statement to News 3 on Monday, Johnson said: “In order to address the increasing amount of unsecured firearms stolen from unlocked vehicles the City of Savannah unanimously enacted this new ordinance. We certainly encourage our citizens to exercise their Second Amendment rights, but this ordinance remains in effect and will continue to be enforced.”