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Advocacy Day: Georgia Moms Demand Action rally for 'switch' ban
Georgia Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers gathered at the State Capitol on Monday to kick off their 2026 Advocacy Day. The group is calling for the passage of House Bill 1127, a measure designed to ban "switches"—small devices that can convert semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic weapons. FOX 5’s Deidra Dukes reports on the rally and the push for new gun safety legislation as the 2026 legislative session gains momentum in Atlanta.
ATLANTA - As jury selection got underway in the Apalachee High School shooting murder trial for Colin Gray on Monday, gun safety advocates rallied for tougher laws at the Georgia Capitol.
Students rally for firearm safety
What they're saying:
Local students were among dozens lobbying for passage of House Bill 1127.
"I've seen multiple instances on the news, and just on social media, of people dying and suffering and family members really experiencing these, you know, bad things with gun violence," one student explained.
Supporters of "Moms Demand Action" gather at the Georgia State Capitol to advocate for gun safety legislation on February 9, 2026. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
What is HB 1127?
The Legislation:
The measure seeks to ban "switches." Those are the small conversion devices that can turn a standard pistol into a fully automatic machine gun.
The Georgia legislature passed a comprehensive school safety plan last session, after four people were killed and others injured in a mass shooting on the Winder campus.
Various firearm modifications and accessories are displayed on a table for legislators to examine during a gun safety presentation on February 9, 2026. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
‘Those weapons are not for hunting’
What Democrats are Saying:
Rep. Omari Crawford (D-Decatur) is sponsoring the switch ban bill. He explained what the legislation would do.
Rep. Crawford, District 89, speaks with members of the press regarding pending gun safety bills at the Georgia State Capitol on February 9, 2026. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
"While it's important that we did pass school safety legislation last year, we need to prioritize and emphasize legislation that would again prohibit a lot of people from gaining access to firearms," Crawford explained. "We know that those weapons are not for hunting. They're not for protecting. They are used for mass destruction."
‘Deal with bad characters on the street’
What Republicans are Saying:
Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte (R-Dallas) insists the Republican-led legislature has supported bills promoting gun safety while protecting Georgians' Second Amendment rights.
Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte addresses the media concerning legislative priorities for the current session at the State Capitol on February 9, 2026. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
"I think what the governor and legislature has done in order to invest in school security, make sure law enforcement is equipped to deal with bad characters on the street, is the way to go," Anavitarte said.
A close-up shows a "Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America" shirt worn by an advocate during a legislative rally at the State Capitol on February 9, 2026. (FOX 5 Atlanta)
"I think just taking away guns and locking them up from private citizens, this isn't necessarily creating a more safer society," he explained. "It's going after the bad guys and the bad women who are carrying these guns in communities."
The Source: Specific details were drawn from interviews with Rep. Omari Crawford, Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte, and student volunteers from Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action. The Georgia General Assembly provided the details for this bill.