NRA-ILA | Tennessee: Numerous Gun Bills are Slated for Action

Numerous gun bills are scheduled for action in the Volunteer State. It is important that NRA Members and Second Amendment supporters stay aware as hearings proceed.

Pro-Gun Bills

SB 1121/HB 578 eliminates the $100 application fee for an enhanced handgun carry permit. SB 1121 has yet to be scheduled in the Senate Judiciary Committee. HB 578 passed the House Civil Justice Committee.

SB 494/HB 395 allows a person, if not otherwise prohibited by law to carry a handgun, to carry a handgun while hunting if the handgun is not used for the taking of game. SB 494 is on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s schedule tomorrow, March 7, at 3:00 PM.  HB 395 passed in the House Civil Justice Committee.

SB 1503/HB 1005 renames ‘enhanced and concealed handgun carry permits’ as ‘enhanced and concealed firearm carry permits,’ and authorizes a permit holder to carry any firearms that the permit holder legally owns or possesses. The current law allows the permit holder to carry handguns only. HB 1005, as amended, also lowers the age to allow 18-20-year-olds to exercise their right to carry, obtain an enhanced carry permit, and obtain a concealed carry permit. SB 1503 is on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s schedule tomorrow, March 7, at 3:00 PM. HB 1005 is on the House Civil Justice Committee’s schedule for Wednesday, March 8, at noon.

Anti-Gun Bills

SB 10/SB 237 requires a person to obtain an enhanced or concealed handgun permit to carry a handgun in certain counties. SB 10 is on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s schedule next week, March 14, at 3:00 PM. HB 237 is on the House Civil Justice Subcommittee’s schedule tomorrow at 1:30 PM.

SB 17/HB 380 requires certain departments to create programs to reduce gun violence in communities and encourages a gun safety program to be distributed through hospital emergency departments and primary care centers. It also requires the department of health to submit an annual report to the legislature and counties and municipalities, on the public health impacts of gun violence in communities. NRA encourages our lawmakers to focus on supporting policies that protect the rights of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves and their families. SB 17 is on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s schedule next week, March 14, at 3:00 PM. HB 380 has yet to be scheduled in the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee.

SB 1021/HB 1439 creates the Class A misdemeanor of knowingly giving, selling, lending, delivering, or otherwise transferring a firearm to a person when the transferor knows or reasonably should know that the person receiving the firearm is prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm under state or federal law. SB 1021 is on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s schedule tomorrow, March 7 at 3:00 PM. HB 1439 has yet to be scheduled in the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee.

SB 1029/HB 1233 creates the offense of storing a firearm or firearm ammunition in a motor vehicle or boat while the person is not in the motor vehicle or boat, unless the firearm or firearm ammunition is kept from ordinary observation and locked within the trunk, utility or glove box, or a locked container securely affixed to the motor vehicle or boat; requires the owner of a firearm to report the loss or theft of the firearm to law enforcement within 24 hours of the discovery of the loss or theft. SB 1029 is on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s schedule tomorrow, March 7 at 3:00 PM. HB 1233 has yet to be scheduled in the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee. 

Your NRA-ILA is closely monitoring the legislation and actively opposing the anti-gun bills. Stay tuned to your inbox and www.nraila.org for updates.