Tennessee: Pro-Gun Law to Go into Effect Friday

During the 2016 Legislative Session, the Tennessee Legislature passed multiple pro-gun bills that promote and protect your Second Amendment rights:

House Bill 1736 and Senate Bill 2376, sponsored by state Representative Andy Holt and state Senator Mike Bell, will permit full-time employees of state public colleges or universities to carry a handgun while on property owned, operated, or used by the employing college or university if the employee has a valid Tennessee handgun carry permit.  Thank you to the NRA members in Tennessee that sent over 10,000 emails to committee members supporting this legislation.  This legislation is set to go into effect on Friday, July 1.

Senate Bill 1991 and House Bill 2131, sponsored by state Senator Brian Kelsey and state Representative Courtney Rogers respectively, prohibit public postsecondary institutions from taking any adverse action against an employee or student as a result of such person's lawful transportation and storage of a firearm or ammunition in the person's parked motor vehicle.  This legislation went into effect upon being signed by Governor Bill Haslam on April 14.

Senate Bill 1559 and House Bill 1644, sponsored by state Senator Mike Bell and state Representative Tilman Goins respectively, allow the chief administrative officer of a private K-12 school or private institution of higher education to implement a handgun carry policy that either permits or prohibits a person who has a handgun carry permit from carrying on the grounds or buildings of a private K-12 school or private university. This legislation went into effect upon being signed by Governor Bill Haslam on April 6.

House Bill 2575 and Senate Bill 2566, sponsored by state Representative Gerald McCormick and state Senator Mark Norris respectively, reduce the cost of handgun carry permits from $115 to $100 as well as extend the permit renewal to eight years.  This legislation went into effect upon being signed by Governor Bill Haslam on April 7.

Thank you to those NRA members and Second Amendment supporters who contacted their lawmakers in support of these pro-gun measures.  Also thank you to bill sponsors and legislators who supported these bills during session.