Tennessee: Numerous Pro-Gun Bills Filed as 2013 Legislative Session Convenes

The 2013 session of the Tennessee General Assembly is off to a good start with several pro-gun bills being introduced.  Even though last session ended on a sour note, your NRA-ILA is confident that we can take many legislative steps this year to further protect the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Tennesseans.  The following pro-gun bills have been introduced:

• House Bill 6, sponsored by state Representative Eric Watson (R-22), would allow K-12 school personnel to possess a firearm on school property if the person has a handgun carry permit, is authorized by the school superintendent, has had 40 hours of basic school policing training and uses frangible bullets.
• House Bill 9, sponsored by state Representative William Lamberth (R-44), makes all information contained in and pertaining to a handgun carry permit application or renewal application and the status of a handgun carry permit confidential and not open for public inspection.  State Senator Ferrell Haile (R-18) has sponsored the Senate companion bill, Senate Bill 108.
• House Bill 10, sponsored by state Representative Jeremy Faison (R-11), prohibits the allocation of state or local public funds to the regulation or enforcement of any federal law, executive order, rule or regulation that becomes effective on or after January 1, 2013, that imposes restrictions on citizens who lawfully possess or carry firearms in Tennessee.  Senate Bill 40 is the companion bill.
• House Bill 108, sponsored by state Representative Sheila Butt (R-64), provides that a public or private employer cannot require an applicant for employment or an employee to disclose information about the ownership or storage of a firearm in the applicant or employee's vehicle.
• House Bill 118, sponsored by Representative Jeremy Faison (R-11), allows those with a valid handgun carry permit to transport and store a firearm or firearm ammunition in the permit holder’s privately-owned motor vehicle in public or private parking areas under certain conditions.  Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey (R-4) has filed Senate Bill 142, the companion bill to HB 118.
• Senate Bill 76, sponsored by state Senator Stacey Campfield (R-7), limits the number of handgun carry permit records that can be reproduced in a single day to fifteen.
• Senate Bill 77, also sponsored by Senator Campfield, allows certain persons employed by a local education agency as a faculty or staff member at a K-12 school to possess and carry a firearm.

Your NRA-ILA will continue to monitor this legislation and keep you informed of committee assignments and hearing dates, so please stay tuned to www.nraila.org for updates.