Each week TFA reports on the bills which have had activity during
that week and the ones we are expecting to be heard on calendar the
following week.
The good news is the Legislature is starting to
wind down. The honest news is they have really done nothing to remove
the infringements on the 2nd Amendment protected rights this year. Its
more like “one step forward, two steps back) – but, what do you expect
from RINOs?
Senate Bill 1275 and House Bill 409
was one of TFA’s top tier bills this year. It would have rewritten
parts of the civil immunity laws in Tennessee to “catch up” with what
other states are doing better. However, when the bill was to be heard
in the House Judiciary this week, at least two leadership level
incumbent House Republicans demanded amendments to the bill that would
have made it undesirable. The bill is now dead for the year.
Senate Bill 1399 and House Bill 1380
was another of those sneaky “caption” bills. The description of the
original bill addressed the required date by which certain reports have
to be given to the governor. It was deleted and amended to do something
entirely different. The amendment would have allowed public school
teachers with Tennessee civilian handgun permits to carry only in the
school(s) in which they worked and only in parts of the school. Perhaps
it was a step toward removing some infringements. It had a few
problems with how it was written. Anyhow, the point is that once it was
offered as a “campus carry” bill, the GOP leadership and law
enforcement came out in heavy opposition and shut it down.
Senate Bill 1401 and House Bill 545
is yet another caption bill that materially concealed from the public
what the bill was ultimately intended to do. The original bill would
have changed the number of days from 21 to 30 that a person has to get a
temporary handgun permit if they are issued an order of protection.
That language was entirely deleted and rewritten with two House
amendments which passed the bill with the amendments this week.
House amendment 4
appears to be the intended result. It deletes the original bill and
establishes an exception to a charge of carrying a firearm onto posted
property. The amendment states that it is not an offense if a handgun
carry permit holder : (1) enters a place of business that: (A) Is not
located within a private residence; (B) Is generally open to the public
at large; (C) Is properly posted; and (D) A reasonable person would
believe that it is lawful to possess a firearm in the business or on the
premises of the business or there are special circumstances present at
the time that would cause the person to subjectively believe that entry
into the business or on the premises of the business with a firearm was
lawful; and (2) Immediately leaves the business or the premises of the
business upon being told or otherwise becoming aware that the business
or premises is properly posted. The bill passed the House this week.
Senate Bill 907 and House Bill 731
passed both houses this week. It allows the Department of Safety to
outsource to a third party the renewal of handgun permits and allows a
fee increase of $4 for such renewals.
Next week’s calendar of fun and excitement? There are several bills scheduled for hearings as reflected in the Calendar report.
Please contact your legislators concerning these bills. It is
important that we keep reminding them about the bills which remove
infringements on our rights but it perhaps more important that we demand
as voters that they put a stop to any proposed legislation the detracts
to the smallest degree from our constitutionally protected rights.
