NRA-ILA | Tennessee: Pro-Gun Bills Progress, Anti-Gun Bills Fail

Numerous pro-gun bills are advancing in the legislature and, thanks to our pro-gun majority, most of the anti-gun bills have failed in committee.  Thank you to NRA Members and Second Amendment supporters for electing pro-gun lawmakers to protect the freedoms of all law-abiding citizens in the Volunteer State. Please see below for a quick update:

Pro-Gun Bills

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 21. HB 1005 passed the House Civil Justice Committee and was placed on the calendar for Wednesday, March 22, in the House Finance, Ways, & Means Subcommittee.

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. HB 395 passed in the House Civil Justice Committee and was referred to the House Calendar & Rules Committee.

SB 494, as amended, authorizes an individual, who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing a handgun, to carry a handgun while training fox hounds, rabbit dogs, and bird dogs or chasing raccoons with dogs, including simply accompanying them or training a dog, bow hunting, or while in an area inhabited by big game, as long as the handgun is not used for the taking of game. SB 494 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and was referred to the Senate Calendar Committee.  

Anti-Gun Bills

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 21. HB 1233 is on the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee schedule tomorrow too. 

SB 10/HB 237 requires a person to obtain an enhanced or concealed handgun permit to carry a handgun in certain counties. SB 10 failed in the Senate Judiciary Committee. HB 237 is on the House Civil Justice Subcommittee’s schedule tomorrow, March 21.

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, 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 failed in the Senate Judiciary Committee. 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 failed in the Senate Judiciary Committee. HB 1439 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.