Georgia swing voters say gun safety is a parent's job
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Lawmakers hoping to prevent school shootings should look to parents and mental health services first, according to the latest Engagious/Sago focus group of Georgia swing voters.
Why it matters: The fatal shootings of two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School have spurred new calls for Gov. Brian Kemp and lawmakers on the state and federal level to pass meaningful gun safety reforms.
Zoom in: Axios sat in on two Engagious/Sago online focus groups Wednesday night with 11 Georgians who voted for Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020. Eight are independents and three are Democrats.
- All said they support proposals to aggressively prosecute and penalize parents who provide guns to children or who fail to safely store their weapons.
Context: Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student, is facing four counts of felony murder. His father, 54-year-old Colin Gray, allegedly bought the AR-style rifle used in the shooting and also faces charges, including two counts of second-degree murder.
What they're saying: "These swing voters are appalled by the revelations of now-obvious failures to avoid this tragedy," said Rich Thau, president of Engagious, who moderated the focus groups.
- "They want accountability, and that includes holding parents responsible for their own, and their children's, irresponsible behavior."
Yes, and: 10 focus group members also supported increasing access to mental health services.
Yes, but: The group was split on whether to enact a federal ban on assault weapons like the AR-15.
Flashback: A controversial 10-year ban on certain semiautomatic weapons for public use, signed into law by President Bill Clinton, sunset in 2004.
The intrigue: On the subject of offering state tax breaks to individuals to purchase trigger locks, lock boxes and firearm safety training, the group was also split. Several participants questioned why the state should forgo tax revenue to prod gun owners to be responsible.
- "[Such firearm security devices] should be a requirement and they should pay taxes on it like everything else if you want the gun," Spencer F., a 52-year-old Fairburn resident, said.
The other side: "If you want to be more safe, which is I think the paramount importance when it comes to gun ownership, then yeah, [the state should] spend the extra money," said Bryan D., a 39-year-old Newnan resident. "And why wouldn't you want to reward the people that are willing to be more safe?"
State of play: On Wednesday, Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) outlined a legislative plan that includes a bipartisan proposal to incentivize gun safety purchases.
- A special statehouse committee is studying how to improve safe firearm storage. That study should be completed by the end of this year.
Caveat: While a focus group is not a statistically significant sample, like a poll, the responses show how some voters are thinking and talking about current events.