SB 224: "Donna's Law"; enact

Georgia law currently has no formal process for someone to voluntarily bar themselves from purchasing a firearm. Senate Bill 224 creates that option by adding a new Code section to Georgia's Brady Law regulations (O.C.G.A. § 16-11-174). A person could register for the state's "do not sell list" either in person with a healthcare provider or under oath before a probate judge. The registration form requires two contact people who would be notified if the person later asks to be removed. Once registered, the Georgia Crime Information Center must report the person to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) within 24 hours. Selling a firearm to someone known to be on the list becomes a felony. A listed person who knowingly possesses a firearm faces a $25 civil penalty. Removal requires a waiting period and a 21-day processing window. Registration and removal records are shielded from open records requests and cannot be used against the person in court, employment, insurance, housing, or by healthcare providers, except in false swearing prosecutions.

• Creates a voluntary state 'do not sell list' that individuals can join to bar themselves from purchasing a firearm, administered by the Georgia Crime Information Center.
• Requires registration in person with a healthcare provider or under oath before a probate judge, using a state-prescribed form listing two contact people.
• Makes it a felony to sell or offer to sell a firearm to someone known to be on the list, and sets a $25 civil penalty for a listed person who knowingly possesses a firearm.
• Sets a removal process requiring at least seven days after registration before a removal request, with the center completing removal within 21 days and destroying related records.
• Bars use of registration or removal records in court, employment decisions, insurance decisions, housing discrimination claims, government benefit determinations, or by healthcare providers to deny service.
• Exempts these records from Georgia's open records law (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70) and makes knowingly false statements on the forms punishable as false swearing.

Georgians who want to voluntarily restrict their own ability to buy firearms, healthcare providers and probate judges who process registrations, gun dealers and sellers who must check the list, the Georgia Crime Information Center which runs it, and the two contact people named on each registration form.

People concerned about their own access to firearms, for example during a mental health crisis, would gain a legal tool to temporarily block themselves from buying a gun. Gun sellers would face felony liability for knowingly selling to someone on the list, and listed individuals would risk a fine for possessing a firearm.

• Section 1 titles the act 'Donna's Law.'
• Section 2 adds O.C.G.A. § 16-11-174, defining the 'do not sell list' and 'healthcare provider' and establishing the voluntary registration program.
• Subsection (b) requires registration in person with a healthcare provider or probate judge and requires the center to notify NICS within 24 hours.
• Subsection (c) makes selling a firearm to a listed person a felony and imposes a $25 civil penalty on a listed person who knowingly possesses a firearm.
• Subsection (d) sets a minimum seven-day wait before requesting removal and a 21-day deadline for the center to process removal and destroy records.
• Subsection (e) makes false statements on the forms punishable as false swearing under O.C.G.A. § 16-10-71.
• Subsection (f) prohibits using registration or removal evidence against a person in court, employment, insurance, housing, government benefits, or healthcare decisions.
• Subsection (g) exempts these records from Georgia's open records law (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70).

1. 2025-02-21Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2025-02-20Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)Primary sponsor
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)

• gun control
• firearm sales
• mental health and guns
• Georgia gun laws
• voluntary do not sell list