Tennessee on the Move Toward Constitutional Carry (HB0786/SB0765)

AmmoLand ^ | 7 March, 2021 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

The Tennessee legislature has introduced two bills, one in the House, the other in the Senate, that have a good chance of passage. The bills change current law enough to qualify as a reasonable version of Constitutional Carry.

Majority Leaders in both the House and the Senate are in favor of the bill.

Governor Lee is in favor of the bills. From tennessean.com:

A controversial bill to allow Tennesseans to carry guns without permits is advancing in both chambers of the legislature, even as law enforcement leaders continue to speak out against the measure.

The permitless carry bill, part of Gov. Bill Lee’s legislative package and dubbed “constitutional carry” by Republicans promoting the effort, was filed in one form or another in recent years but has yet to pass the General Assembly.

The legislation would allow for both open and concealed carrying of handguns for people 21 and older without a permit, as well as for military members age 18 to 20.

Bill summary:

This bill creates an exception to the offense of unlawful carrying of a firearm, if a person meets the qualifications for an enhanced handgun carry permit, lawfully possesses a handgun, and is in a place that the person has a right to be; and revises other firearm statutes, all as discussed below.

Under present law, it is an offense for a person who carries, with the intent to go armed, a firearm or a club. This bill adds an exception to the application of this offense that a person is carrying, whether openly or concealed, a handgun and:

(1) The person meets the qualifications for the issuance of an enhanced handgun carry permit;

(2) The person lawfully possesses the handgun; and

(3) The person is in a place where the person has a right to be.

[marktwain]

Indiana and Iowa both have serious efforts to pass Constitutional Carry bills as well.

[Spirit of Liberty]

That’s interesting....didn’t realize if I carry a club with the intent to be armed, it’s against the law here!

[PGalt]

^

[PGalt]

I’m always armed...with 2.

[\/\/ayne]

That’s interesting....didn’t realize if I carry a club with the intent to be armed, it’s against the law here!

You could always carry a delivery order for an ax handle!

[EandH Dad]

If you carry a bat, keep a glove or ball with it, according to a LEO friend.

[FLT-bird]

Excellent. I’m amazed more Southern states have not adopted constitutional carry. They need to. This should be the law everywhere.