Last chance for HB 2021

[Sky King]

I hesitated to start a new thread on this, but the old one has become a bit worn.

Tomorrow, May 3rd, the House Judiciary committee is scheduled to hear the bill again as a result of Josh Evans pulling the bill off the House floor following an attempt by Eddie Bass to amend the bill back to its origional form.

We need as big a show of support at that hearing as we can possibly muster. I am planning, (God willing and the creek don't rise) to be there along with a couple of others from Shelby County. We are in contact with several members of the committee to get our names on the list of speakers. I know this being a weekday, it impacts the ability of many to be there but if you can, I am asking you to be there.

It is being reported that the business community will be there in force.

The opponents to what we want to accomplish still have several options to prevent the bill from moving forward if any attempts are made to amend the bill back to its origional form so I am being honest in saying that I don't give us a lot of chance of being successful. BUT we HAVE to let them know that we are watching and we WILL hold them accountable.

The existance of the major campaign funding bill that is working it's way through the legislature, I believe is a major factor who's influence on THIS bill has only recently been realized. The campaign funding bill, if passed, will free up a lot of funding options to businesses that will allow them to pour a lot of money into the campaigns of political candidates. I feel the left or liberal leaning Republicans are pandering to the business and corporate lobby in order to be found favorable with them during the next election.

If you can not be there, please take the time to send a last barrage of emails and phone calls to the committee members.

[Sky King]

As I type this, I am in The House Judiciary Committee meeting. The agenda is long and I have no way of knowing when this bill will come up. There are two others here with me from Memphis and one from Jackson along with John Harris. I don't recognize any others who may be here.

We have been advised that we will be able to speak. I do not know if Eddie Bass will attempt to introduce again his amendment or not, I guess we will see.

[rockman6]

Hey, thanks for attending and wish it were closer.

[DaveTN]

I don’t keep up on house bill numbers is this the parking lot bill?

[GKar]

Yes, it is. The campus carry bill was sent to summer study earlier in the committee meeting.

Gonna be some very tired legislators by the time they get to 2021. Discussion on some of these others had been incredibly long.

[bubbadavis]

Sky King, please keep us posted on the progress - I couldn't get out of work today to attend. Thanks for taking the initiative to show up and voice your opinion on the bill.

[jcj]

Thanks for your efforts, Sky King. I've sent a few emails trying to help this move forward. I spend 8 hours on the road every week commuting to and from work. I'm disarmed the entire time due to company policy.

I'm really hoping we can get somewhere on this bill, but it's not looking good..

[GKar]

Well, looks like it waits till next year. Apparently, Chrmn Watson announced right off the bat that it was being sent back to subcommittee...audio feed was a bit unclear, but given it never was mentioned again, next year seems a safe bet.

[Worriedman]

Had a discussion with a different Representative during the lunch break who thinks the only chance is a fresh Bill next year, which specifically comes at this from the Castle Doctrine angle, and includes every parking lot.

Even Chairman Watson's assistant did not get that the Bill was sent back to sub-committee, she still had us scheduled to speak, and did not realize the fix was in till the lunch break. She came and found Sky King and I, and apologized for the mix up. It was a rolling hit on the Bill, they did not want to take it up in public, nor have any testimony.

I can say after watching the morning's activities, I am surprised we are not further off the cliff than what we are.

[GKar]

I can say after watching the morning's activities, I am surprised we are not further off the cliff than what we are.

+1,000. I watched most of both sessions, and can only say that I would not be astonished if some of these folks couldn't find their rear ends with both hands.

[Sky King]

Had a discussion with a different Representative during the lunch break who thinks the only chance is a fresh Bill next year, which specifically comes at this from the Castle Doctrine angle, and includes every parking lot.

Even Chairman Watson's assistant did not get that the Bill was sent back to sub-committee, she still had us scheduled to speak, and did not realize the fix was in till the lunch break. She came and found Sky King and I, and apologized for the mix up. It was a rolling hit on the Bill, they did not want to take it up in public, nor have any testimony.

I can say after watching the morning's activities, I am surprised we are not further off the cliff than what we are.

Sorry to be so late with an update. Worriedman has pretty well summed it up. All while being assured we would be able to speak, it was not untill the lunch recess that we found out that the bill had been sent back to the sub-committee. Since there will be no more sub-committee meetings, this essentially kills the bill for this year.

From the beginning of the hearing, we all were watching for other concerned persons such as Josh Evans himself or other interested parties such as corporate lobbiests. None ever appeared. Several of us attempted to contact Josh Evans by phone and text but we never got a response. As the hearing moved on, HB2021 was nunber seven on the agenda but they passed right over it.

It seems the political manuvering was by design to keep the bill from ever comming up. We were not told untill the lunch recess that the bill had been sent back to the sub-committee. I spoke with Barret Rich before the hearing and expressed my feelings that I would rather see this bill die than have the neutered, watered down version as it is now pass. He was totally surprised and couldn't understand why I would oppose SOME progress rather than none. The problem is that large corporations will not change their policy based on this bill. It accomplishes nothing.

Barret Rich, Vance Dennis and the other RINOs need to feel the heat for failed campaign promises from the conservative base that put them in office.

It is still my contention that it all boils down to money. The Republican leadership does not want this bill to come to a vote on the floor. If it ever makes it to the floor, many feel it would pass. What they are doing is nothing less than what Jimmy Naifeh did.

At this time I would like to thank everybody who called, wrote emails and took time to get involved in this issue. There is no way any of the members of The General Assembly can say they did not hear from us. Now it is time to let them know how upset we are that they have not kept their word and tell them that come election time, it is US who pull the lever in the booth, NOT FedEx, UPS, General Tire, Bridgestone Firestone.