2025 Georgia Codes – Page 161

(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) “Bus or other transportation furnished by a school” means a bus or other transportation furnished by a
public or private elementary or secondary school.
(2) “School function” means a school function or related activity that occurs outside of a school safety zone
and is for a public or private elementary or secondary school.
(3) “School safety zone” means in or on any real property or building owned by or leased to:
(A) Any public or private elementary school, secondary school, or local board of education and used for
elementary or secondary education; and
(B) Any public or private technical school, vocational school, college, university, or other institution of
postsecondary education.
(4) “Weapon” means and includes any pistol, revolver, or any weapon designed or intended to propel a mis-
sile of any kind, or any dirk, bowie knife, switchblade knife, ballistic knife, any other knife having a blade
of two or more inches, straight-edge razor, razor blade, spring stick, knuckles, whether made from metal,
thermoplastic, wood, or other similar material, blackjack, any bat, club, or other bludgeon-type weapon, or
any flailing instrument consisting of two or more rigid parts connected in such a manner as to allow them
to swing freely, which may be known as a nun chahka, nun chuck, nunchaku, shuriken, or fighting chain,
or any disc, of whatever configuration, having at least two points or pointed blades which is designed to
be thrown or propelled and which may be known as a throwing star or oriental dart, or any weapon of like
kind, and any stun gun or taser as defined in subsection (a) of Code Section 16-11-106. This paragraph
excludes any of these instruments used for classroom work authorized by the teacher.
(b)(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this Code section, it shall be unlawful for any person
to carry to or to possess or have under such person’s control while within a school safety zone, at a school
function, or on a bus or other transportation furnished by a school any weapon or explosive compound,
other than fireworks or consumer fireworks the possession of which is regulated by Chapter 10 of Title 25.
(2) Except as provided for in paragraph (20) of subsection (c) of this Code section, any lawful weapons car-
rier who violates this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any person who is not a lawful weapons
carrier who violates this subsection shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, be punished by
a fine of not more than $10,000.00, by imprisonment for not less than two nor more than ten years, or both.
(3) Any person convicted of a violation of this subsection involving a dangerous weapon or machine gun, as
such terms are defined in Code Section 16-11-121, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000.00
or by imprisonment for a period of not less than five nor more than ten years, or both.
(4) A child who violates this subsection may be subject to the provisions of Code Section 15-11-601.
(c) The provisions of this Code section shall not apply to:
(1) Baseball bats, hockey sticks, or other sports equipment possessed by competitors for legitimate athletic
purposes;
(2) Participants in organized sport shooting events or firearm training courses;
(3) Persons participating in military training programs conducted by or on behalf of the armed forces of the
United States or the Georgia Department of Defense;
(4) Persons participating in law enforcement training conducted by a police academy certified by the Geor-
gia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council or by a law enforcement agency of the state or the United
States or any political subdivision thereof;
(5) The following persons, when acting in the performance of their official duties or when en route to or
from their official duties:
(A) A peace officer as defined by Code Section 35-8-2;
(B) A law enforcement officer of the United States government;
(C) A prosecuting attorney of this state or of the United States;
(D) An employee of the Department of Corrections or a correctional facility operated by a political subdi-
vision of this state or the United States who is authorized by the head of such department or correctional
agency or facility to carry a firearm;
(E) An employee of the Department of Community Supervision who is authorized by the commissioner of
community supervision to carry a firearm;
(F) A person employed as a campus police officer or school security officer who is authorized to carry a
weapon in accordance with Chapter 8 of Title 20; and
(G) Medical examiners, coroners, and their investigators who are employed by the state or any political
subdivision thereof;
provided, however, that this Code section shall not apply to any extent to persons who are provided for
under Code Section 16-11-130;
(6) A person who has been authorized in writing by a duly authorized official of a public or private elemen-
tary or secondary school or a public or private technical school, vocational school, college, university, or
other institution of postsecondary education or a local board of education as provided in Code Section