HCP-related bills will be heard in House subcommittee next Wednesday.

[jhnpeterman]

Well, I'm afraid to be optimistic; it still has to pass the full judiciary committee, pass the House and Senate and be signed by Bredesen. We're not home yet!

[Bigiron]

And I was so wanting to shoot a couple of bad referees.

[raydog1]

Yeah, it was funny to hear them brag about FBI statistics concerning how safe our parks are. Then, in the next breath, talked about how dangerous baseball dads are. Like some HCP carrying father is going to start blasting the moment the umpire says "OUT!" They use statistics to support their claim that guns aren't needed in parks, but ignore statistics that show HCP owners don't just shoot people because they're in a bad mood.

[Guest savvysteve]

This email from the NRA-ILA came out a few minutes ago... Forgive me but I thought this was pertinent info... don't intend to hijack the thread.

Numerous Pro-Gun Bills Moving in Tennessee!

Call Your State Representative Today!

On February 25, the following NRA-backed pro-gun measures passed the House Judiciary’s Sub-Committee on Criminal Practice and Procedure. These bills now move to full House Judiciary Committee, which meets next Wednesday, March 4.

House Bill 254, sponsored by Representative Glen Casada (R-63), deletes the requirement to give a thumbprint as part of the background check process when purchasing a firearm.

House Bill 716, sponsored by Representative Frank Niceley (R-17), allows permit holders to possess a handgun while within the boundaries of any state park. Currently, it is unlawful to do so. This bill would preserve the self-defense and Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Tennesseans. HB 761 also passed the House Judiciary Sub-Committee on Criminal Practice and Procedure and will move to full committee next week.

House Bill 959, sponsored by State Representative Eddie Bass (D-65), would ensure the privacy of handgun permit holders by making records of permit applications and renewals confidential. Any public disclosure of this information would be a Class A misdemeanor.

House Bill 961, sponsored by State Representative Mike Bell (R-26), authorizes a person with a handgun carry permit to possess a firearm in a refuge, public hunting area, wildlife management area, or on national forest land.

Another pro-gun bill that passed out of the House Judiciary Sub-Committee on Criminal Practice and Procedure is House Bill 962, Restaurant Carry legislation. HB 962, sponsored by Representative Curry Todd (R-95), allows a person with a handgun carry permit to carry in restaurants that serve alcoholic beverages as long as that person is not consuming alcoholic beverages and the restaurant is not an age-restricted venue. HB 962 is the result of three House Study Committee meetings held over the past few months.

While it is already illegal for someone to carry a firearm while consuming alcohol, this bill was drafted by the study committee to include an amendment in an attempt to distinguish between a bar and a restaurant in Tennessee, as no definition currently exists in Tennessee code. The age-restricted language is similar to the current Tennessee smoking prohibition in restaurants.

In an effort to move this legislation and the other aforementioned bills forward and out of sub-committee, the NRA agreed with several pro-gun legislators to offer up any pro-gun amendments during full House Judiciary Committee.

We ask that members contact their legislators in support of un-restricted pro-gun measures that recognize the Right to Keep and Bear Arms of all law-abiding citizens in the Volunteer State.

Please call the members of the House Judiciary Committee TODAY and urge them to support HB 254, HB 716, HB 959, HB 961 and HB 962 with NRA-back amendments.

Contact information for the House Judiciary Committee can be found below.

This last bill, House Bill 960, was held over in the House Judiciary’s Sub-Committee on Criminal Practice, but should come up for another vote next week when the sub-committee meets again. Sponsored by State Representative Harry Tindell (D-13), HB 960, which is similar to HB 961, would expand the boundary for permit holders to carry a firearm into local parks in addition to state and federal parks.

Please call the members of the House Judiciary’s Sub-Committee on Criminal Practice and urge them to support HB 960.

Contact information for the House Judiciary’s Sub-Committee on Criminal Practice can be found below.

Contact information for the Members of the House Judiciary Committee:

State Representative Kent Coleman (D-49), Chair

(615) 741-6829

rep.kent.coleman@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Jon Lundberg (R-1), Vice-Chair

(615) 741-7623

rep.jon.lundberg@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Eddie Bass (D-65)

(615) 741-1864

rep.eddie.bass@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Karen Camper (D-87)

(615) 741-1898

rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Vance Dennis (R-71))

(615) 741-2190

rep.vance.dennis@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Henry Fincher (D-42)

(615) 741-1875

rep.henry.fincher@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Chad Faulkner (R-36)

(615) 741-3335

rep.chad.faulkner@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Brian Kelsey (R-83)

(615) 741-4415

rep.brian.kelsey@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Judd Matheny (R-47)

(615) 741-7448

rep.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Janis Sontany (D-53)

Phone (615) 741-6861

rep.janis.sontany@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Mike Stewart (D-52)

(615) 741-2184

rep.mike.stewart@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Eric Watson (R-22)

Phone (615) 741-7799

rep.eric.watson@capitol.tn.gov

Contact information for the Members of the House Judiciary’s Sub-Committee on Criminal Practice:

State Representative Eric Watson (R-22)

Phone (615) 741-7799

rep.eric.watson@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Janis Sontany (D-53)

Phone (615) 741-6861

rep.janis.sontany@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Eddie Bass (D-65)

Phone (615) 741-1864

rep.eddie.bass@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Karen Camper (D-87)

(615) 741-1898

rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Chad Faulkner (R-36)

(615) 741-3335

rep.chad.faulkner@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Judd Matheny (R-47)

(615) 741-7448

rep.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov

[Guest Seminole]

it was funny to hear them brag about FBI statistics concerning how safe our parks are.

I can promise you those FBI statistics don't reflect the reality of Memphis parks--for some reason the criminals here haven't heard that it's illegal to have guns in our parks.

[Guest 270win]

HB 960 is the park bill we need passed because it includes city and county parks, not just state parks. Crime is crazy in the parks in Memphis....maybe not in some small town park that is relatively safe. Many of these legislators don't realize not all of us are in Memphis by choice (many are here for jobs)....so we have to do the best we can to protect ourselves while we are here.

[analog_kidd]

Does anybody know when the next step, the full Judiciary Council, meets to discuss these bills?

[waynesan]

Does anybody know when the next step, the full Judiciary Council, meets to discuss these bills?

3/4/09

[Falcon1]

Does anybody know when the next step, the full Judiciary Council, meets to discuss these bills?

3/4/09

In general, the House operates on a week-to-week schedule--subcommittee one week, full committee the next, full House the next. The Senate is more open-ended (fewer members=more time).

[analog_kidd]

Well, I heard back for my state Senator Randy McNally today. Here is his response to an email I sent him:

David:

Thank you for your recent e-mail regarding several bills. I appreciate you taking the time to contact me on this matter.

I support SB1518, SB1519, and SB1127. Regarding SB1126 I have some concerns regarding the lack of transparency as to who has handgun permits, however, I do feel that certain information on the permits such as the home address and phone numbers should not be public record.

You have my assurance that your concerns and suggestions, as well as those of my other constituents, will be reflected in my decision making process as the Senate continues its work.

Randy

Not a 100% agreement, but it's close.

[eapking]

To me the restaurant bill (aka bar bill) is the important one. And some uninformed people don't know why. It's not what's going to happen in the restaurant, it's the dang parking lot or the street you're parked on. It's the walk to and from.

I heard Drake (from Drake & Zeke 98.1 - Memphis) the other day, questioning why this was important and how this would be enforced. Obviously he doesn't know why, and as far as the enforcement, it's just like most other laws - after the fact! Sometimes Drake can be a real condescending idiot. And I swear he's a closet Obama fan. He showed his hand a bit during the election. I know...rant...

[Guest HexHead]

To me the restaurant bill (aka bar bill) is the important one. And some uninformed people don't know why. It's not what's going to happen in the restaurant, it's the dang parking lot or the street you're parked on. It's the walk to and from.

Exactly. That's why I don't eat downtown. Okay, well except the Palm.

I'm not walking 3 blocks to some parking garage at night downtown unarmed. And I sure don't like the idea of leaving my gun in my car in an unattended Central Parking lot either. The restaurants don't even know how much business they're losing with the law the way it is now.

[S&WForty]

Exactly. That's why I don't eat downtown. Okay, well except the Palm.

I'm not walking 3 blocks to some parking garage at night downtown unarmed. And I sure don't like the idea of leaving my gun in my car in an unattended Central Parking lot either. The restaurants don't even know how much business they're losing with the law the way it is now.

The "open minded" in our society are clueless to the fact a gun left in a car is a gun that may end up in the hands of a criminal if they pick the right car to break in to.