In a new initiative aiming to curb suicide rates, Georgia Senators Elena Parent and Sally Harrell are pushing for legislation that would let Georgia citizens, grappling with suicidal thoughts, volunteer to be added to a "No Sell" firearms list. The proposed Senate Bill 522, known as Donna's Law in memory of Donna Nathan, who ended her life with a gun after a lifelong battle with bipolar disorder, seeks to provide individuals a lifeline during mental health crises.

The bill, according to a Senate Press Release, is slated for discussion in the Senate Committee on Public Safety come Wednesday, February 28. Donna tragically died in 2018, after she purchased a gun and shot herself, despite her extensive history of psychiatric treatment and her conscious efforts to stay safe from such impulses.

Over half of the suicides in Georgia involve firearms, a method with a distressingly high fatality rate; approximately 85% of gun suicide attempts are fatal. "The rate of suicides nationally and in Georgia is on the rise, with firearms being the method used in over half of these tragic deaths. With firearms, there are very few second chances," Sen. Parent said in a Senate Press Release, emphasizing the urgent need for preventive measures like those proposed in Donna’s Law

The mechanism is straightforward: if enacted, individuals could voluntarily add themselves to the FBI’s NICS Firearms Checks list through a health professional's guidance or via a probate court affirmation. Within 24 hours of application, they would be prohibited from purchasing firearms. However, applicants retain the option to reverse their decision, being able to request removal from the list but only after a cooling-off period of at least seven days.

If Georgia adopts SB 522, it would follow other states in taking a compassionate step to reduce suicide rates by creating barriers to impulsive self-harm with firearms. Discussions on Donna’s Law are expected to be intense, reflecting the national conversation on mental health and gun control.