HB2039 Judge Carry

[Guest 270win]

Tennessee General Assembly » Legislation

Did anyone notice that this bill will become law and allow judges and retired judges to carry anywhere that police carry? I was wondering why this bill was necessary when judges don't even need a handgun carry permit in Tennessee to carry a handgun and could probably be 'deputized' like prosecutors are if they badly want to carry anywhere while serving as a judge.

[Fallguy]

From reading the amendment (here) passed on 5/2/11, it seems all it does is change 39-17-1306 to allow them to carry during judicial proceedings as long as they have HCP and meet certain other requirements. Not to carry anywhere that LEOs can.

[Worriedman]

Simply amplification of the class structure in TN. SOME citizens get more privileges than others. Helps if you have the ear of the Legislature, us 'ol common citizens need to pony up the money via taxes and hush, they have OUR best interest at heart.

[Fallguy]

Well I'm a little torn I guess.

In general I don't like creating different classes of citizens either, but of all the places where we can't carry, a room where a judicial proceeding is taking place is one I didn't have a lot of problem with. Emotions can run VERY high in there sometimes. Also, in all honesty, I guess I sort of thought judges could already carry in their own courtroom, without a HCP or additional training.

So where I'm coming from I guess this is more confirming something I thought was already being done instead of allowing something new.