On January 29, 2024, the Tennessee Firearms Association and the Tennessee Firearms Foundation joined Gun Owners of America and several other organizations in submitting an amicus brief to the United States Supreme Court in the case of Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General, et al., v. Cargill, No. 22-976. The issue in this action is whether…
Author Archives: JohnHarris
Tennessee Legislature taking action on at least 79 proposed laws in January 2024 – many violate the Supreme Court’s BRUEN decision
Since January 1, 2024, at least 79 bills have either been introduced in the Tennessee Legislature or are bills that were filed in 2023 which have had some type of activity. Some of these bills do appear to be appropriate in light of the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Bruen. However, many of these…
TFA Joins GOA in Amicus Brief in US Supreme Court on appeal by Donald J. Trump
On January 18, 2024, Tennessee Firearms Association and Tennessee Firearms Foundation (a 501c3) joined Gun Owners of America and numerous other organizations in filing an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court case of Donald Trump v. Norma Anderson, et al. No: 23-719. This is the appeal by Mr. Trump from the rulings in…
Tennessee Legislature seeing volume of bad 2nd Amendment Legislation.
As of January 12, 2024, approximately 30 bills have been filed on issues of interest to the Tennessee Firearms Association and its members. As detailed in the report below, most of them are bad ideas that demonstrate a complete disregard of the Supreme Court’s mandate in its decision in New York State Rifle and Pistol…
The 2024 Legislative Session is an opportunity for Legislators to enact laws required by the Second Amendment
Tennessee does NOT have REAL Constitutional Carry and Tennesseans need to once again demand it of the Legislature in 2024. There are many constitutional problems with respect to how Tennessee’s existing and even proposed laws fail to comply the the Second Amendment’s “shall not be infringed” mandate. Indeed, too many of Tennessee’s existing and proposed…
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joins official comment opposing ATF’s proposed rule defining ‘Engaged in the Business’
On December 7, 2023, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joined attorney generals from the States of Kansas, Iowa, Montana, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming, and the Arizona State Legislature in opposing the…
Rep. Bryan Richey (R) proposes allowing hunting over bait on privately owned land.
Tennessee Republican House Member Bryan Richey, who represents part of Blount County, has filed a bill which would allow hunting over “bait” on privately owned land, but not on public lands. His legislation, House Bill 1618, provides: SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-4-113(a), is amended by deleting subsection (a) and substituting: (a) Except as…
TFA, TFF, GOA and VCDL file joint comments to oppose ATF’s proposed “engaged in business” rule
On September 8, 2023, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) published a “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” in the Federal Register, entitled “Definition of Engaged in the Business as a Dealer in Firearms,” 2022R-17, 88 FR 61993 (“NPRM”). ATF sought public comment on its proposal by December 7, 2023. TFA coordinated with Gun…
Gun owners need to be prepared to demand that Legislators demonstrate a “Bruen Basis” for their legislative proposals.
The Tennessee 2024 Legislative Session starts in January. Already, some bad bills have been filed and more are certain to come. Likewise, Tennessee Firearms Association is talking with some Legislators, those who have either proven their Second Amendment support or who are at least willing to discuss the issue, about pro-Second Amendment legislation. To be…
Red Flag Down – 2024 Legislative Watch
In 2023, citizens across Tennessee who are interested in protecting our individual civil rights from unconstitutional government infringements moved forward with a load voice in the Red Flag Down campaign by the Tennessee Firearms Association to defeat an attempt by Governor Lee and some Republican legislators to push a “red flag” or “mental health order…