Parks Bills To Be Voted On 4/07/09

[waynesan]

Two Parks Bills will be voted on tomorrow 4/07/09 at 1:30p.m. (Nashville time) in the Finance, Ways and Means Committee.

11. *HB0716 by *Niceley, *Fincher, *Watson, *Johnson C, *Dean, *Rich, *Cobb J, *Evans. (SB0976 by *Burchett, *Faulk.)

Handgun Permits - As introduced, allows any resident who has a valid handgun carry permit to possess a handgun while within the boundaries of any state park. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13 and Title 70.

Summary for *HB0716

12. *HB0960 by *Tindell, *McCord, *Todd, *Jones U, *Evans, *Fincher, *Watson, *Weaver, *Dennis, *Halford, *Shipley, *Rich, *Hensley, *Hawk. (SB1518 by *Beavers, *Burchett, *Jackson.)

Firearms and Ammunition - As introduced, authorizes person with handgun carry permit to possess firearm in local, state, or federal parks. - Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13 and Title 70.

Summary for *HB0960

[Guest Rem_700]

Awsome!!Will you keep us updated on this,please??I'd appreciate it.

[Oh Shoot]

According to

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/political-issues/19711-local-parks-hb0960.html

sounds like it will be better not to have it pass at all.

- OS

[Guest slim]

Sad, but unless it get's changed, i think were better without it, at least, the way it's now written!

[Daps]

Yup the way it's written it needs to die. I think it need's to be straight across the board. Not each city/county deciding

[cadillacdude1975]

the one thing that will kill these two bills alone is this......

Fiscal Summary

(CORRECTED) Increase State Expenditures - $38,200/One-Time

they are going to see that and it will die because of that very reason. that is what killed it last year. there was an amendment that was going to require the parks to post signs warning others of the possibility of an HCP holder being there legally armed. they balked, screaming that the parks commission did not have the extra funds to eat the cost of all the signs that it was going to take to let the bill pass.

[waynesan]

HB0716 Carry in State Parks rolled until next week.

HB0960 Carry in Local Parks and Federal Parks PASSES out of committee.

[Guest slim]

Quote!

HB0960 Carry in Local Parks and Federal Parks PASSES out of committee.

Quote!

__________________

Is that good or bad?

What does it mean, by out of committee?

So will we be able to carry at the walk-ways or in Coolidge Park in Chatt?

[waynesan]

It passed to the Calendar and Rules Committee. It passed with the amendment giving local control of city and county parks. In other words, it is against the law to carry in the park unless the local authorities say its OK. They can allow carry in all their parks, some of their parks or none of their parks. They can also allow carry in just portions of parks such as Ok on a bike trail but not on a ball field.

I would guess that for all practical purposes, city and county parks will remain off limits. And that's a shame. They've made it too complicated to approve carry.

[Guest slim]

Thank's for the clarification, but it seems it will cause more probs. then anything, just like at any Mall, there always are some places where there is nothing posted!

[Guest slim]

Guess, later in the yr. there will be lot's of post's asking, going hiking or outing at wherever, can i carry? I might be one of them!

[Guest db99wj]

Ok, so city parks and county parks could or could not be off limits, the city or town would have to pass an ordinance stating that fact. If they don't, then it will be illegal.

What about state parks?

Aren't most city parks run by the city and don't have a "park police"? So the City or county LEO's would have to enforce this.

Does a park ranger have LE authority, like at Shelby Farms for those Memphis folks?

[Fallguy]

Ok, so city parks and county parks could or could not be off limits, the city or town would have to pass an ordinance stating that fact. If they don't, then it will be illegal.

What about state parks?

Aren't most city parks run by the city and don't have a "park police"? So the City or county LEO's would have to enforce this.

Does a park ranger have LE authority, like at Shelby Farms for those Memphis folks?

State parks are not part of HB0960 any more. Carry in State Parks will be determined by HB0716.

Under HB0960 the law prohibiting carry would basically stay the same as it is currently under 39-17-1311 Unless the local government opts to allow carry in Parks. Carry in Civic centers and other publicly owned recreational property would still be off limits and could not be allowed.

Local governments could

• Could leave things as they are, therefore prohibiting carry in all of it's parks. (Signage: they could or could not post, like current law)
  
• Could allow carry in some of it's parks, but not in other parks. (Signage: again, could or could not post, like current law)
  
• Could allow carry in part of a park, but prohibit in other parts of the same park (Sinage: If the do this, they must post a sign that states where carry is and is not allowed)
  

One other note as razorback noted somewhere, the new 39-17-1311 would specifically address firearms as in 39-11-106 instead of a list of prohibited weapons under 39-17-1302(a) like now.

[Guest db99wj]

Thanks Fallguy. Holy crap this is confusing.

[Oh Shoot]

......

• Could allow carry in some of it's parks, but not in other parks. (Signage: again, could or could not post, like current law)
  

One other note as razorback noted somewhere, the new 39-17-1311 would specifically address firearms as in 39-11-106 instead of a list of prohibited weapons under 39-17-1302(a) like now.

No municipality is going to make the effort to allow carry, even if they don't even feel strongly against it.

So really, if enacted in this manner, this new statute will be de facto mean NO CHANGE for carrying in city parks. Actually with the gray area in verbiage re "prohibited weapons" addressed, any defense is really zapped, so the law will be actually strengthened.

- OS

[Fallguy]

No municipality is going to make the effort to allow carry, even if they don't even feel strongly against it.

Not without outside lobbying by citizens anyway...

So really, if enacted in this manner, this new statute will be de facto mean NO CHANGE for carrying in city parks. Actually with the gray area in verbiage re "prohibited weapons" addressed, any defense is really zapped, so the law will be actually strengthened.

- OS

True

[GLOCKMEISTER]

they should have killed this bill... it may die yet.

[Tim Nunan]

No municipality is going to make the effort to allow carry, even if they don't even feel strongly against it.

So really, if enacted in this manner, this new statute will be de facto mean NO CHANGE for carrying in city parks. Actually with the gray area in verbiage re "prohibited weapons" addressed, any defense is really zapped, so the law will be actually strengthened.

- OS

We should have pushed for it to read that it was legal to carry in city parks unless the local governments opted out.

[Fallguy]

We should have pushed for it to read that it was legal to carry in city parks unless the local governments opted out.

Yep....that was my suggestion...

[GLOCKMEISTER]

WHY DIDNT THAT HAPPEN?

[Fallguy]

Good question....

[waynesan]

HB0716: Carry in State Parks was passed today 4/14/09 in the Finance, Ways and Means Committee and sent to the Calendar and Rules Committee. Follow this link to view the discussion House-Finance,Ways, and Means

Click on HB0716 under the video screen to go directly to the discussion for that bill.

It never ceases to amaze me the objections that are brought up by the opponents of pro gun legislation, but the rep. who brought up the idea that some people may carry guns with silencers takes the cake.

[Guest crotalus01]

Well, being as I am in the liberal bastion of Memfrica, its a no-brainer that park carry is dead as dead can be regardless. This bill means nothing for us Memfricans...no way the libs in this neck of the woods will do anything positive for HCP holders. Must be the ultra low crime rate here that makes them think we have no need for self defense...

Edited April 15, 2009 by crotalus01

[Fallguy]

Well, being as I am in the liberal bastion of Memfrica, its a no-brainer that park carry is dead as dead can be regardless. This bill means nothing for us Memfricans...no way the libs in this neck of the woods will do anything positive for HCP holders. Must be the ultra low crime rate here that makes them think we have no need for self defense...

I think you are talking about the bill that address carry in Local Parks.

HB0716 is about State Parks and would allow carry in any and all state parks in the state regardless of where they are.

[Guest crotalus01]

My bad Fallguy. You are correct. In the long run it doesnt matter as there are no state parks in Memphis, only local parks...