Panel drops curfew for guns in bars

[Guest johnnyo]

The Associated Press

Originally published: May 05. 2009 3:01AM

Last modified: May 04. 2009 11:23PM

NASHVILLE -- House negotiators retreated Monday from a proposal to impose a curfew restricting the hours when people with handgun permits can carry loaded weapons into bars and restaurants that serve alcohol.

The full chamber later voted 83-12 to pass a bill to close access to information contained in the state records of people with permits to carry loaded handguns in public.

Both Maryville Reps. Joe McCord and Bob Ramsey voted for the bill.

The measure sponsored by Democratic Rep. Eddie Bass of Prospect passed without debate. If it becomes law, it would shield from public scrutiny the names of permit holders who run afoul of the law.

State Safety Department records show nearly 1,200 people have lost their permits since 2005. Revocations are issued for felony convictions, while permits can be suspended for pending criminal charges or for court orders of protection.

The companion bill is awaiting a full Senate vote.

Gun curfew eliminated

The House negotiating panel voted 3-2 to adopt the Senate version of the bill that seeks to revise a law that currently bans handguns from any establishment where alcohol is served.

The two dissenting members on the negotiating panel were McCord and Joe Armstrong, D-Knoxville.

The measure is opposed by the state restaurant and police chiefs associations.

The full House had previously voted 70-26 for a measure that included an 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew. The version that passed the Senate did not include that restriction or another that would keep a handgun ban in place for bars that restrict entry to people over 21 years old.

Differences between the two chambers' bills led to the appointment of a conference committee to seek a compromise. But instead of seeking middle ground, House negotiators agreed to adopt the Senate version that includes neither a curfew nor age restrictions.

Rep. Curry Todd, R-Collierville and the main sponsor of the House version, said he pledged to colleagues to keep the time and age restrictions in place only until the measure passed the House. But he said that deal was off once the measure was sent to a conference committee.

"I went back and reviewed my actions, and I thought this was a better scenario for the handgun carry permit holders in Tennessee than the previous version," Todd told reporters after the meeting.

The time restrictions were originally intended to include restaurants that also served alcohol, but maintain the ban for bars. Tennessee law doesn't make a legal distinction between the two.

Todd expressed outrage in March when a Republican colleague tried to amend the bill on the House floor to remove the time restriction, and said he wouldn't vote for a bill that didn't include the curfew.

"I'm not going to vote for a measure now that doesn't have the time frame on it, because it opens up to bars, where you sell eggs, and pickled sausage and have vending machines in there ... I've been in them all my life, I know what they are," he said at the time.

But on Monday, Todd said he'd changed his mind because the bill would maintain bar owners' rights to post gun bans.

"I did say that, but in retrospect now, they can still post," he said. "That's the whole thing."

The ability for bar owners to ban handguns was unchanged from previous versions of the bill.

Order of protection

In the Senate, lawmakers approved legislation that would create a procedure for individuals subject to an order of protection for domestic violence to surrender their weapons.

The bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Diane Black of Gallatin passed unanimously. The companion bill was scheduled for a House Finance Committee vote on Tuesday.

source: Panel drops curfew for guns in bars

[ttocswob]

If it becomes law, it would shield from public scrutiny the names of permit holders who run afoul of the law.

AP still making this bogus argument. The law protects the names of permit holders - period. Those who run afoul of the law - well, those violations of the law are public record, and their names may still be published - although the likes of the commercial tennessean sentinel appeal probably won't bother with reporting actual news.

[Guest SomeGuy]

Kyle knows the process, even I had a hard time following the amends to the amends.

Edited May 5, 2009 by SomeGuy

[Oh Shoot]

...

Gun curfew eliminated

The House negotiating panel voted 3-2 to adopt the Senate version of the bill that seeks to revise a law that currently bans handguns from any establishment where alcohol is served.

The two dissenting members on the negotiating panel were McCord and Joe Armstrong, D-Knoxville.....

Was a squeaker.

Armstrong is my idiot rep. I encourage anyone else in my district to campaign for his most likely to win opponent next time up.

- OS

[Guest bkelm18]

Yep Armstrong is definitely something else. At one point (I'm not really sure if he was joking or not) he said he wanted to exempt Knoxville from the bill if it passes. All of arguments were completely baseless and probably made up on the spot.

[Guest db99wj]

Yep Armstrong is definitely something else. At one point (I'm not really sure if he was joking or not) he said he wanted to exempt Knoxville from the bill if it passes. All of arguments were completely baseless and probably made up on the spot.

He also didn't have a clue about the bill and what has been done, he called for or asked if the Police Association and the Restaurant Association had been there to voice their opinions, it was like it was new. Knoxville must be proud:screwy: