Restaurant Carry Bill: How To Help

[Guest djack41]

The legislation will be going to a conference committee as early as Monday night. This is not a political ploy to kill the bill. It is a favorable strategy since the report of the conference committee can not be debated or attacked on the floor. It can only be voted up or down.

There are two issues over which the senate and house disagree. One is "curfew" and the second is "age restricted" facility. The house bill requires both. The senate bill requires neither. The house version unneccessarily restricts 2nd amendment rights.

There is an excellent chance of having the conference committee recommend the senate version. The conference committee will have 3 senators and three representatives. The conference committee report will require the affirmative vote of 2 of the 3 representatives. The vote looks very favorable.

Rep. Joe McCord, Rep. Eddie Bass and Rep. Curry Todd will be the house conferees. Call and email their offices. Let them know that the restrictions serve no purpose but to arbitrarily disarm lawabidding citizens. Encourage them to accept the senate version.

Please do not suggest a compromise. Leave that to the bill sponsors. Rest assured that the bill will not be allowed to die in conference committee. Restaurant carry will almost certainly become law this year. Hold firm.

BTW The NRA is actively working for the senate version.

[Guest HexHead]

There is an excellent chance of having the conference committee recommend the senate version. The conference committee will have 3 senators and three representatives. The conference committee report will require the affirmative vote of 2 of the 3 representatives. The vote looks very favorable.

Big deal. The House will still have to vote to accept it and they won't. You "clean bill" types are going to screw this up for the rest of us. If the Senate had just accepted the House bill, this would have been a done deal already and could be tweaked later on.

Instead, you keep giving Naifeh and his minions more opportunities to work behind the scenes to derail this thing. Don't forget, Bredesen is the wild card here. It's not a given he won't veto a bill with no restrictions other than not drinking. He's done NOTHING pro-gun since he's been in office. The last time the laws were loosened a bit, allowing carry in places that sold alcohol for off-premises consumption was while Sundquist was in office. And even he didn't sign the bill, but let it pass by default.

Like I said earlier, I'm gonna be really pissed if on July 1, I'm not sitting in a nice restaurant around here with my Python on my hip, because a bunch of ****tards couldn't leave well enough alone.

Restaurant carry will almost certainly become law this year.

This doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies when it could have been a done deal by now.

[Guest truthsayer]

I see a lot of people complaining that the "Clean bill types" and "newcomers" are going to ruin this for everyone else. Allow me a moment, if you will.

As much as it might bother you to think this way, this carry legislation is not just about your being able to carry your beloved Python to dinner. It's about workers that want to eat after their shifts at some of the only places that are open. It's about servers, bartenders, and musicians that deal in cash and are easy targets for criminals. It's also about the retiree who loves to sit at the bar, drink his coffee, and watch the young girls dance til all hours.

Prodding people to do what's acceptable to you and for the so-called greater good while blithely using the rights of others as a bargaining tool is patently against what a constitutional republic should be about. There are plenty of people willing to let that happen. I am not one of them. If a bit of crippled (my judgment) legislation is enough for you right now, then there's likely nothing I can say to change your mind. I do and will continue to take issue with people's suggestion that I should take what I can get when it does me no real good.

[Fallguy]

Yes Yes Yes....I'm sure all of us here discussing it on TGO are really going to be the only influence and the only ones to cause whatever happens with this bill to happen.

I would imagine less than 10% of the members here have even contacted their elected official.

But even if 10% have....not all of that 10% are saying they want a clean bill. Even those that want a clean bill are saying one with some restrictions is better than not at all.

Nothing wrong with letting your legislator know how you feel. He knows the tempature of things in Nashville and can tell what the majority is willing to do.

But if people aren't packing their pythons at their local nice restaurant on July 1....they can blame this ba$tard all they want if it makes them feel better.

[Punisher84]

But if people aren't packing their pythons at their local nice restaurant on July 1....they can blame this ba$tard all they want if it makes them feel better.

Agreed. My rep is kelsey. I thanked him for sponsoring a clean bill. I WANT a clean bill. We deserve a clean bill. If we get a curfew, I think that's stupid, but it is at least a foot in the door.

Hex, you blame who you want, but this is about everyone not just you. If the reps vote for a curfew they will vote that way despite what their e-mails say as far as curfew or clean bills go. You have the people that are flat out against it, those who will pass with curfew, and those who want it clean. We'll know soon enough how it shakes out.

[Guest MediaBuster]

Big deal. The House will still have to vote to accept it and they won't. You "clean bill" types are going to screw this up for the rest of us. If the Senate had just accepted the House bill, this would have been a done deal already and could be tweaked later on.

Like I said earlier, I'm gonna be really pissed if on July 1, I'm not sitting in a nice restaurant around here with my Python on my hip, because a bunch of ****tards couldn't leave well enough alone.

This doesn't give me the warm and fuzzies when it could have been a done deal by now.

Us clean bill types? You mean those of us who won't allow our Second Amendment Rights to be diluted? Janet? Is that you??

[Guest MediaBuster]

I see a lot of people complaining that the "Clean bill types" and "newcomers" are going to ruin this for everyone else. Allow me a moment, if you will.

As much as it might bother you to think this way, this carry legislation is not just about your being able to carry your beloved Python to dinner. It's about workers that want to eat after their shifts at some of the only places that are open. It's about servers, bartenders, and musicians that deal in cash and are easy targets for criminals. It's also about the retiree who loves to sit at the bar, drink his coffee, and watch the young girls dance til all hours.

Thank you, this is exactly right.. If we don't protect everyone's rights, we're getting nowhere.. I walked out of a gig the other night with $500 cash in hand, & no gun on me, because its not allowed yet.. Everyone that goes to that bar knows we have a tip bar, & that we get paid.. & musicians are only one of several groups that need to be protected, as you accurately stated.

[Guest djack41]

If the conference committee reports a clean bill, it will pass both the house and senate. Encourage the conferees to report a clean bill. Focus your efforts on the three house conferees. Todd, Bass and McCord. Todd and Bass have stated they are ok with the clean bill. Senate conferees are GTG.

The conference committee will be appointed and meet Monday night. The conference report will issue quickly. The final floor vote could also occur Monday night or Thursday at the latest.

Believe me, now is the time to get involved. Urge a clean bill. Do not worry about the floor vote. It will pass.

[Guest HexHead]

Believe me, now is the time to get involved. Urge a clean bill. Do not worry about the floor vote. It will pass.

Why do you think the House will accept what is in essence the exact same bill they turned down last week? If anything, Naifeh's had another week of arm twisting.

[Guest HexHead]

I see a lot of people complaining that the "Clean bill types" and "newcomers" are going to ruin this for everyone else. Allow me a moment, if you will.

As much as it might bother you to think this way, this carry legislation is not just about your being able to carry your beloved Python to dinner. It's about workers that want to eat after their shifts at some of the only places that are open. It's about servers, bartenders, and musicians that deal in cash and are easy targets for criminals. It's also about the retiree who loves to sit at the bar, drink his coffee, and watch the young girls dance til all hours.

Prodding people to do what's acceptable to you and for the so-called greater good while blithely using the rights of others as a bargaining tool is patently against what a constitutional republic should be about. There are plenty of people willing to let that happen. I am not one of them. If a bit of crippled (my judgment) legislation is enough for you right now, then there's likely nothing I can say to change your mind. I do and will continue to take issue with people's suggestion that I should take what I can get when it does me no real good.

Sure, I'd much prefer a bill with no restrictions to one with. But I'd also prefer to have that "crippled" bill for a couple of years until it can be fixed once the naysayers were proved wrong once again, to no bill.

Hey, I hope I'm wrong about all this. But maybe we need to take a page from the Libs playbook? They've been successful at nibbling away our rights once small bite at a time. No reason we shouldn't use the same tact against them. Unfortunately, they've proven it works.

[Guest crotalus01]

I dont know whats going on with Naifeh, but he voted FOR accepting the clean bill. Mumpower AND Speaker Williams voted AGAINST accepting the clean senate bill.

WTF???

[Guest SomeGuy]

Todd has actually been a strong supporter of the added restrictions.

Bass and McCord are more likely to see the light, so to speak. I am however, not optimistic. McCord supported Todds motion.

If you look back at the history of this bill, it is obvious some shenanigans are being played. We need to keep the pressure up.

Anyone in McCormick's district? I haven't gotten a response from him, and he used to be pro-gun, yet on this last, important vote, he went the wrong way.

[Guest djack41]

Rep. Naifeh did not vote pro-gun. He voted "no" on the motion to "nonconcur" with the senate amendment. He did not want the issue to go to conference committee.

If the motion to nonconcur had failed, the next motion would have been to concur with the senate amendment. Naifeh would have certainly voted no.

If neither motion could get 50 house votes, then the bill is effectively dead unless the senate votes to "recede from its action" and approve the house bill.

Many representatives who voted to nonconcur with the senate amendment will vote for the conference committee report, clean or restricted. The conference committee report will pass both chambers with a healthy majority.

Rep. Naifeh is not controlling this issue. He is reduced to playing the role of a very outspoken critic.

[strickj]

No one knows how someone else will vote.

No one knows how the bill will turn out.

No one knows......

How bout contacting your reps,and telling them to do what they know,and do best.

After all,it is their jobs to do what needs to be done to gets things passed....

[Guest HexHead]

I dont know whats going on with Naifeh, but he voted FOR accepting the clean bill. Mumpower AND Speaker Williams voted AGAINST accepting the clean senate bill.

WTF???

Maybe they all know Bredesen's hot button on this issue for veto?

[Guest SomeGuy]

Politically speaking, it would be every form of bad for Bredeson to veto this.

2010 is shaping up to be a GOP year in TN, remember how good it was for us in 2008? Obama is not popular in this state, and it isn't getting any better for them. 2010 we will have a Gubernatorial race. This will bring out a lot of voters, especially Republicans due to the Federal issues many people have in mind.

Also, even the NRA (late as usual) does not want the restrictions. The NRA endorsed Bredeson. For him to violate that endorsement, as a Democrat, in Tennessee, over an issue like this, would hurt the Democrats in 2010. They are only down by 1 House seat. Bredeson is a smart enough politician to know that vetoing this would hurt, not help them in 2010. (Especially when a Govenors veto is so easy to over-ride in Tennessee.)

So, he vetoes it. We over-ride it (If it can pass, the votes are present.) 2010 The GOP hammers Democrats in Tennessee as anti-gun, and pads the House and Senate majorities, plus takes the Govenors office. Tennessee becomes a solid Republican state.

He signs it, Demcrats can use it to campaign, and they will need to.

You tell me which one is more likely...

Edited April 26, 2009 by SomeGuy

[titan14]

The conference committee will be appointed and meet Monday night. The conference report will issue quickly. The final floor vote could also occur Monday night or Thursday at the latest.

Anyone know if this is going to happen today?

[Guest SomeGuy]

I do not think so titan. I think, after looking into it a bit more, that djack was off on procedures.

The Senate (again, as I understand our lovely parlimentary process) gets a chance to just accept the restriction laden House version.

When they do not, THEN a conference committee is made. However, we have no idea of knowing who will be on the committee. I would expect the sponsor, however, that is expect. Once the committees meet, they form a version, which gets an up or down vote.

[titan14]

Thanks for the clarification!

[Guest jth_3s]

Anybody know where I can get a list of who voted against the clean bill in the house?

[bubbadavis]

Tennessee General Assembly Main Page is the portal to the bills. You can get all the details of the vote there.

[bubbadavis]

If neither motion could get 50 house votes, then the bill is effectively dead unless the senate votes to "recede from its action" and approve the house bill.

The non-concur motion did not get 50 votes. It was 45-44.

Also, two of the reps you state in an earlier post would support a clean bill (Bass and McCord) voted YES on the non-concur.

I would like to be as optimistic as you about a clean bill passing, but I don't trust the house. The vote on the non-concur motion just does not make sense unless 1) the house members were confused as to what they were voting on, or 2) the house is up to something fishy. I'm afraid that at the rate we are going, we are going to end up with nothing.

[Fallguy]

While well meaning, I don't think all of the OP's information is 100% accurate.

[Guest SomeGuy]

The TFA also keeps updated lists on votes.

Specifically...

Tennessee Firearms Assoc. Inc. • View topic - HB0962 - Vote Detail on Non-concurring motion

It is a good read, one of the posters in that thread is both a TFA member, and State Rep.

[bubbadavis]

Great point (and link), SomeGuy. I forget that not everyone here is a TFA member or might not check the TFA forum often. Its a great resource.