House panel advances guns in local parks bill

[Guest johnnyo]

source: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/mar/25/house-panel-advances-guns-local-parks-bill/

NASHVILLE — A House panel on Wednesday advanced a measure to authorize local governments to allow people with state-issued handgun permits to carry their loaded weapons in parks and playgrounds.

The bill sponsored by Rep. Harry Tindell, a Knoxville Democrat, would also allow local governments to decide to be selective about where to allow guns. For example, officials could decided to allow handguns on greenways, but not at ballfields.

“All local governments will have the option to opt-in to this law by a majority vote of their legislative body,†Tindell told the House Judiciary Committee, which advanced the measure on a voice vote.

Tindell said his bill would also have state law mirror federal rules on whether handguns can be taken into national parks.

A federal judge in Washington last week halted a policy that allowed guns to be carried in national parks. The National Rifle Association is appealing that decision.

A vote on a separate measure seeking to allow guns in state parks was delayed for a week in the House Budget Subcommittee over questions about the cost of updating signs that advise visitors that all firearms are banned.

A legislative analysis estimated that 159 signs would have to be replaced in the state’s 53 state parks, at a cost of $38,200. Rep. Frank Niceley, a Strawberry Plains Republican and the bill’s main sponsor, said he would eliminate the cost by allowing the existing signs to be altered to obscure the language banning firearms.

Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke said simply covering up the existing language about the firearms ban wouldn’t tell visitors that only handgun permit holders would be allowed to carry guns.

He also said patching up existing signs would be an “eyesore†at Tennessee’s award-winning parks.

House Republican Leader Jason Mumpower, a Bristol Republican, held up several pictures of park signs and suggeste d they could easily be altered with paint, planks or duct tape. He also suggested Fyke was raising concerns about the signs because he opposes the proposal.

Fyke acknowledged he opposes the bill, but denied he was trying to torpedo it.

“I personally believe the intent of the bill violates what the public wants regardless of the signs,†Fyke said. “For the last three years, we’ve had over 100 million visits. And we’ve had 21 reported crimes against persons.â€

Niceley said the department could pay for sign replacements from what he called a “slush fund†of money collected from fines. That pool of money paid for a $300,000 program in 2007 to place watershed signs around the state, he said.

Rep. Janis Sontany, a Nashville Democrat, said she voted for the local parks bill because Nashville Mayor Karl Dean has assured her that he won’t take steps to allow guns in metro parks.

“What I was trying to do was just trying to give local government the option, “ she said.

Sontany previously voted against the bill to allow guns in state parks, and questioned the push for weapons to be allowed in more public places. “I think it’s stupid,†she said.

More details as they develop online and in Thursday’s News Sentinel.

[Guest johnnyo]

follow up discussion http://roaneviews.com/?q=node/2504#comments

[analog_kidd]

Why do they have to replace the signs? Why not just remove the current ones that say "No guns allowed" and leave it at that?

[Falcon1]

Why not just make possession of a Handgun Carry Permit an affirmative defense against prosecution?

[BigPoppa]

Mumpower is ready to haul out the "planks and duct tape"............