On Tuesday, January 28, at 3:30 p.m. in Room 12LP, the state Senate Judiciary Committee will consider Senate Bill 1496, which would allow Handgun Carry Permit (HCP) holders to carry a firearm in all Tennessee parks.
Sponsored by state Senator Stacey Campfield (R-7), SB 1496 would allow law-abiding Tennesseans with a HCP to carry a firearm into all state, city, county and municipal parks. Current Tennessee law allows a municipality or county to prohibit the possession of handguns, and therefore one's right to self-defense, while within a public park, natural area, historic park, nature trail, campground, forest, greenway, waterway or other similar public place that is owned or operated by a county or municipality. This law poses a problem for citizens by creating a patchwork of laws across the state with regard to which localities have prohibited firearms in their parks.
SB 1496 is legislation to allow lawful individuals to exercise their basic right of self-defense. Additionally, having different laws throughout the state for the carrying of firearms in county and municipal parks could turn an otherwise law-abiding citizen into an unsuspecting and unintentional criminal. Criminals do not follow gun control laws and do not apply for Handgun Carry Permits.
Please contact members of the state Senate Judiciary Committee TODAY and respectfully ask them to support SB 1496 and to protect your right of self-defense in ALL Tennessee parks. Contact information for the committee members can be found below.
Senate Judiciary Committee:
Senator Brian Kelsey (R-31), Chair
(615) 741- 3036
Senator Doug Overbey (R-2), 1st Vice-Chair
(615) 741- 0981
Senator Stacey Campfield (R-7), 2nd Vice-Chair
(615) 741-1766
Senator Mike Bell (R-9)
(615) 741-1946
Senator Lowe Finney (D-27)
(615) 253-0179
Senator Ophelia Ford (D-29)
(615) 253-0357
Senator Todd Gardenhire (R-10)
(615)-741-6682
Senator Mark Green (R-22)
(615) 741-2374
Senator John Stevens (R-24)
(615) 741-4576
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