Last week, Governor Bill Lee made a speech in which he referenced the 2nd Amendment, the Founding Fathers and the rights of the citizens. He said ” “The Second Amendment is clear and concise and secures the freedoms of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.” He told us he was introducing legislation that “… will protect the Second Amendment rights of Tennesseans ….”
About 4 days later, copies of the proposed bill started to be leaked from the Legislature and, surprise, it was not constitutional carry at all. It was nothing more than qualified exception to a potential Class A misdemeanor charge for carrying a firearm with intent to go armed in a place open to the public where 1 or more persons are present.
You read that correct! The Governor stated he was going to recognize and remove infringements on our rights but instead all his legislation does on that issue is create a technical, qualified, confusing exception to a criminal charge.
Our Founding Fathers did not write the 2nd Amendment in words that gave rise to a defense to a criminal charge. The Founding Fathers affirmatively wrote to recognize a right and to prohibit government from any infringement on that right.
As soon as TFA could obtain a copy of the bill it was immediately clear that the proposed amendment is not constitutional carry. TFA immediately started looking at how the bill might be amended as well as talking to specific legislators that we felt were in fact truly pro-2nd Amendment.
The good news is that there are ongoing constructive discussions taking place with specific House and Senate members about TFA’s concerns over the Governor’s bill and how it can be improved. We are optimistic that these Legislators are not only listening to the validity of TFA’s points and experience on both constitutional and state law but of equal importance that they are listening to their constituents many of whom are expressing their serious disapproval of the substance of the Governor’s bill.
It remains timely and important for each of you to be contacting your legislators and Governor Lee today and everyday until these serious constitutional flaws with his legislation are corrected.
You can look up your legislators on the Legislature’s website.
You can contact the Governor by calling his office – day and night – at this number: (615) 741-2001
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