The Governor’s bill, HB786/SB765, has already passed in the Senate and is now set to be heard on the House Floor on Monday, March 29. The two other bills, both of which are better than this one, appear to have been “snuffed out” in the Senate and are likely being placed “behind the budget” (in other words, killed) in the House.
This means that the only bill that is moving at present is the Governor’s bill.
To be frank, there are parts of the permitless carry portion of the bill which are for some Tennesseans an improvement over current law. But it is clearly not the best bill that was filed on this issue this year. It has been described by various legislators – on the official record – as not having everything they wanted, as only kicking the ball further down the field, as an incremental step towards the goal of REAL constitutional carry and as the “biggest chunk” that we could get this year. Yet, none of the legislators who made these comments have stated who or what is keeping a Republican super majority from actually getting what they want, what they knew we want and achieving REAL constitutional carry. They are clearly telling us that someone is being the “green curtain” in Oz but they are not willing to tell us who.
Just last week in a radio interview, Speaker Cameron Sexton stated that he thought that the Republican super majority had the votes to enact a handgun only bill but that he was not sure that a majority of Republicans in the Legislature would vote for a “firearms” bill or, for that matter, one that allowed those 18 and up to carry without a permit. Really? Tennessee’s constitutional republic should be subject to the prophesy of a single legislator on whether an issue might pass rather than to actually debate the legislation and have a recorded vote.
But there is a path on which this bill could be improved despite whatever forces have caused it to be the one receiving votes. That path is one of certainty not prophesy. The rules of the Tennessee House allow amendments to be offered on the floor. Actually, that happens somewhat frequently even on “locked” legislation as it did on the Hall tax a few years ago. So, any of the 99 House members – even yours – could offer amendments to fix the problems with the Governor’s bill. Those amendments have to be in writing and filed with the House by noon on Monday at the latest.
TFA proposes to House members (and we need your support in contacting them to demand it) that the House members offer amendments to the Governor’s bill that would do the following:
– allow any individual who can legally possess a firearm carry that firearm
– eliminate the handgun only restriction
– eliminate the “right to be” provision
– eliminate any provision that imposes any infringement greater than what is found in current federal or state law regarding firearms ownership or possession
– eliminate gun free zones for those who carry legally without a permit just as if the person held an enhanced permit (e.g., in public parks, on greenways, etc.,)
If these amendment pass, we have a better bill. If all these amendments pass, we have a much better bill. If none of them pass, well, at least the voters will have had their voices heard through their elected officials and the de facto disenfranchisement that otherwise occurs will be minimized.
Call your legislators today and insist that these TFA supported amendments be offered, debated and that they have roll call votes on the floor.
TFA would also like to encourage the NRA, GOA, NAGR and other national organizations and their members to support the call for floor amendments and lets get the best bill that is attainable this year rather than settle for what can at best be described as an incremental step in the direction of real constitutional carry – but still a step falling far short of that constitutional goal and mandate.
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