Chris Carr is defending Georgia’s gun law. He also wants to change it

Attorneys general wield great power as their state’s top law enforcement officer. But all that time in court can sometimes expose them to attacks from their political enemies — something Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr will have to navigate as he runs for governor in 2026.

Today, Carr’s office will be in the Georgia Supreme Court defending a state law passed in 1968 that bans people between the ages of 18 and 20 from carrying a handgun in public. It’s put Carr on the opposite side of gun rights groups such as Georgia Second Amendment — advocates he’d probably like to keep happy in the run-up to the 2026 Republican primary.

As attorney general, Carr argues that “it was perfectly reasonable for the legislature to believe that younger people are less likely to responsibly carry handguns in public.” He notes it’s still legal for people over 18 to carry handguns at home, in their cars, at their places of business or while hunting, fishing or sport shooting.

”Allowing 18-year-olds to carry handguns on or in their own property, but not elsewhere, does not come close to destroying the right to bear arms,” the AG’s office argued in a brief endorsed by Carr and three other attorneys.

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

But as a candidate for governor, Carr would like to see the law changed. Neil Bitting, Carr’s campaign spokesperson, notes that the Georgia Department of Law “is constitutionally required to defend laws passed by the General Assembly, even laws that the attorney general disagrees with. Period.”

”As governor, he’d support legislation that would promote the Second Amendment rights of young adults to defend themselves,” Bitting said.

The case involves Thomas Stephens, who was 18 in 2023 when he was denied a permit to carry a handgun. His lawyers say he wants to carry one in public “in case of confrontation.”

”This is a very significant restriction, because the handgun is the quintessential arm for self-defense in the United States,” Stephens’ attorneys wrote.

Things to know

Good morning! Gov. Brian Kemp has 29 days left to either sign or veto bills passed by the state Legislature this year. He’s signed six bills into law so far and hasn’t vetoed anything yet. You can keep track at the AJC’s legislative navigator.

Here are four things to know for today:

Moneyball

Credit: Backlight, Inc.

Credit: Backlight, Inc.

Gainesville Mayor Sam Couvillon raised more than $260,000 in two months for his primary challenge against Republican U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde, a member of the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus who has sometimes rankled party leaders.

The Republican said that he has roughly $200,000 cash on hand for his bid to unseat Clyde, who was first elected in 2020. Couvillon called the figures evidence that voters in his northeast Georgia district are “ready for a change.”

He launched his bid in January, saying that too many politicians are “more concerned with making a point than getting things done” — a not-so-subtle reference to Clyde, who has a history of provocative statements and votes that buck the party line.

The figures put Clyde on notice. Never a prolific fundraiser, the third-term incumbent reported early Tuesday he has roughly $100,000 in cash on hand — and about $1.3 million in campaign debt.

Hold that thought

Credit: TNS

Credit: TNS

It’s Tax Day — but not in Georgia.

While most of the country’s procrastinators are rushing to file their returns before today’s deadline, Georgians have a few more weeks to put off paying their taxes. That’s because the IRS extended the traditional April 15 deadline to May 1 to account for the impacts of Hurricane Helene.

Georgia is one of five states that got an extension. The others are Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Georgia’s tax revenue has slowed in recent years, mostly because of tax cuts passed by the Republican-controlled legislature. The cuts mean the state budget has about $2.4 billion less this year than it would have had without the cuts.

Today, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp plans to sign a pair of tax bills into law. House Bill 111 will lower Georgia’s individual income tax rate to 4.99% by 2027 — or two years faster than the original schedule. And House Bill 112 provides up to $500 refunds for people who filed state tax returns for 2023 and 2024.

The other IVF bill

Credit: AJC file photo

Credit: AJC file photo

State Rep. Lehman Franklin’s bill protecting in vitro fertilization got a lot of attention this year, especially given that his wife is expecting the couple’s first child from the procedure this summer.

But House Bill 428 isn’t the only thing the Republican-controlled General Assembly did to bolster IVF.

House Bill 94 would require that private insurance plans pay to store eggs and sperm from patients with cancer, sickle cell disease or lupus. These patients often undergo treatment that leaves them infertile. Storage would give them a chance to have a child later through IVF.

The bill, one of hundreds sitting on Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk, only applies to private insurance companies. It wouldn’t apply to state employees or Georgia’s Medicaid program because of “funding issues” raised by the governor’s office, according to state Rep. Eddie Lumsden, a Republican from Armuchee and the bill’s primary sponsor.

“I think it’s a relatively small universe of people that you’re actually going to be dealing with or affected by this,” Lumsden told state senators in a public hearing last month. “This is a highly personal decision. But I think it’s an option most people would say is reasonable to give to someone.”

Listen up

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

Today on “Politically Georgia,” interim Democratic Party of Georgia leader Matthew Wilson joins the show to talk about what’s next for them after U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams of Atlanta stepped down as the chair and U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath of Marietta bowed out of the 2026 governor’s race.

Have a question or comment for the show? Email us at politicallygeorgia@ajc.com or give us a call at 770-810-5297 and you could be featured on a future episode.

You can listen and subscribe to the show for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Trump today

Credit: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

Credit: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

President Donald Trump will have lunch with Vice President JD Vance, sign executive orders and present the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy to the U.S. Naval Academy football team after beating their rival military teams last year.

Buckle up

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

If U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick went viral for the tongue-lashing his constituents gave him at a recent town hall, then what can we expect from a similar event featuring one of the most polarizing members of Congress?

We’ll find out today when U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene hosts a Tax Day town hall in Cobb County.

Registration is already closed. The Rome Republican limited attendance to only people who live in her district. They must show a valid government ID at the door that matches their registration.

The registration link also included this warning: “Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated and will result in removal.”

Greg Bluestein will be there, so be sure to follow his X feed and check AJC.com for updates.

Greater Georgia

Credit: Mark Schiefelbein/AP

Credit: Mark Schiefelbein/AP

Former Georgia U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler is focused on her new role in Washington leading the Small Business Administration. But her voter registration group, Greater Georgia, is still going at home.

This week the group will launch a nine-stop statewide tour to detail the results of this year’s legislative session. First up: a town hall meeting Wednesday with Insurance Commissioner John King in Lithonia to discuss Gov. Brian Kemp’s legislation to overhaul the civil litigation process.

Future events are planned for Albany, Alpharetta, Athens, Dalton, Gwinnett County, Macon-Bibb County, Savannah and Valdosta.

Loeffler’s new appointment with the Trump administration was confirmed earlier this year but she remains a potential 2026 statewide candidate in the minds of plenty of GOP activists.

Shoutouts

Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

Today’s birthday:

Belated birthday:

Want a birthday shoutout in the Politically Georgia newsletter? There’s a form for that! Click here to submit the shoutouts. It’s not just birthdays. We’re also interested in new jobs, engagements, birth announcements, etc.

Before you go

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Don’t miss Riley Bunch’s weekly look inside Atlanta City Hall. This week’s edition examines Mayor Andre Dickens’ efforts to improve relations with state Republicans — a strategy that could help the city navigate President Donald Trump’s administration.

That’ll do it for us today. As always, you can send your best scoops, gossip and insider info to greg.bluestein@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com, patricia.murphy@ajc.com and adam.beam@ajc.com.