Tennessee has had a civilian handgun permit since May 1994. Tennessee’s original civilian handgun permit was renamed in 2019 as the “enhanced” permit. Nothing was enhanced or improved, it was just a new name. At present, thirty-six (36) states honor the Tennessee “enhanced” permit. For the last several years, TFA has pushed legislation that would…
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Tennessee’s alternative “concealed only” permit and why you should not pick it
Tennessee legislators created a second type of civilian handgun permit in 2019 that went into effect on January 1, 2020. It is a “concealed only” permit. Tennessee Firearms Association opposed the legislation and strongly recommends against citizens considering this concealed only option. Here is why. Tennessee first passed a handgun permit law in May of…
Attorney General Opinion on carrying handguns in “buildings” where judicial proceedings might occur
Tennessee has long had a law (Tenn. Code Ann. 39-17-1306) which until 2017 prohibited weapons in “while inside any room in which judicial proceedings are in progress”. Frankly, most people understood that ordinary citizens could not take a gun into a courtroom if the court was in session. As a result of an amendment offered…
Legislative Update March 29, 2019 and Calendar for week of April 1
We are starting to hear talk that the Tennessee Legislature may adjourn perhaps as early as mid-May, 2019. If so, the next six weeks promise to be really business, full of dirty tricks and overflowing with shenanigans. One of the most watched attacks on our rights is Republican Senator Steve Dickerson’s gun confiscation legislation (Senate…
Urgent!! – Proposed Amendment to “Red Flag” law is even worse!
News started last fall that Tennessee Republican Steve Dickerson (Nashville) would sponsor firearms confiscation legislation (also known as a “Red Flag” law). He did in fact file it with, so far, only Democrat sponsors. (Senate Bill 1178 and House Bill 1446) The original firearms confiscation legislation was a horrible idea from a constitutional rights perspective,…
TFA Legislative update for March 22, 2019 and calendar
The events of this week continue to demonstrate that the Tennessee Legislature, for the 9th year in a row, is not proceeding on a path to protect your rights as guaranteed and protected by the 2nd Amendment or the Tennessee Constitution. SPECIAL NOTICE – the proposed “RED FLAG” law (Senate Bill 1178 and House Bill…
Does Tennessee need TWO handgun permitting systems?
Quite simply, no. What it needs are promises kept. What it needs is for Legislators and our Governor to honor their oaths to the constitutions. There is a bill by Sen. John Stevens and Rep. Andy Holt (SB705 and HB1264) which was filed to create a second type of civilian handgun permit in Tennessee. This…
“Red Flag” laws are not sound constitutional options
There are perhaps several laws pending in Tennessee at present which could be characterized as “Red Flag” laws or extreme risk protection orders. Both of those are descriptions of laws which fundamentally do one thing – infringe a constitutionally protected right Recently, Travis McCarter, an attorney in Sevierville, Tennessee, has written a blog post about…
TFA Legislative Update for March 15, 2019 and Calendar for week of March 18
There are several bills which have had activity during the week of March 11, 2019 and which are scheduled to be heard during the week of March 18, 2019. Please see the full PDF reports (links below) for more details. The Calendar report contains 11 pages of bills that are set for various hearings next…