After the United States Supreme Court’s decision in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen in June 2022, there is a serious constitutional question that leads to the inescapable conclusion that many of Tennessee’s existing laws, regulations, orders and ordinances are clear violations of the 2nd Amendment, the 14th Amendment and constitute a knowing federal civil rights violation. The Supreme Court clearly placed an affirmative burden on the State of Tennessee to show that every existing or proposed infringement of the rights protected by the Second Amendment are a category of restriction that existed in 1791 – a date selected because that is when the States ratified the Second Amendment.
Tennessee has already been sued in federal court to challenge unconstitutional statutory restrictions that portend to prohibit 18 to 20 year olds from being issued handgun permits or carrying under Tennessee’s poorly structured “permitless carry” law. The State of Tennessee entered into a federal court approved settlement agreement in that litigation which prohibits the Department of Safety from denying handgun permits because someone is between the ages of 18 and 21.
Unfortunately, the Tennessee Legislature failed to go into Special Session in 2022 or 2023 to deal with constitutional crisis that exists because numerous state and local infringements clearly violate the 2nd and 14th Amendments. Further, the Tennessee Legislature failed to pass any law in 2023 (even during the Governor’s “Red Flag” Special Session) that would have removed these unconstitutional infringements.
The Tennessee Legislature, under their constitutionally required oaths of office, can and must take the United States Supreme Court’s mandate in Bruen seriously and immediately move in 2024’s brief legislative session to repeal all state and local infringements on your rights that are protected from such government infringements. To do that, they need to understand that this is an issue that is important to you.
Use this TFA provided tool to contact your legislators today!