HB 3818/*SB 0397

[Guest Fingersoup]

I really wanted to push back against the anti 2nd people but I was feeling pretty powerless so I started looking for something that I could do as an average citizen and after some research I found a purposed bill that I felt strongly about and have been corresponding with our state Senator Stacey Campfield regarding [url="http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/billinfo/BillSummaryArchive.aspx?BillNumber=SB0397"]HB 3818/*SB 0397[/url] - If the mods deem it nessicary to remove the hyperlinks (even though it is to a tn.gov link) I understand and to clarify the bill is HB 3818 / SB 0397..

This bill authorizes certain persons over 21 to carry a firearm without a permit; provides endorsements on driver licenses of persons who obtain a handgun carry permit; makes permanent the issuance of a handgun carry permit and authorizes any resident of Tennessee who is a United States citizen or permanent lawful resident, who has reached 21 years of age, and who is not prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm under state or federal law, to carry a firearm in this state except as otherwise prohibited by law. A handgun carry permit would not be required to carry a handgun in this state if a person meets these requirements.. A resident of this state who is so authorized to carry a handgun may carry a handgun in any other state with which this state has entered into an agreement of reciprocity for handgun permits. Essentially as I understand it, this bill would make our state a constitutional carry state.

So, I asked Mr. Campfield how I could support this bill and he said that the house co sponsor (Hensley) was moving to the senate and asked that I find him a co sponsor in the house. I told him no problem. (but it kind of has been lol) .. So I found a list of our state reps and have been emailing them RESPECTFULLY asking them to support this bill with my argument being that privileges (i.e. drivers license) are granted based on meeting criteria but that our rights are inherent, protected and require no permits as they are guaranteed by our constitution. That it is unconstitutional for the state to demand fees in order for one to exercise their right..

If you click on the link above you will see in the Fiscal Summary:
Decrease State Revenue - $4,785,000/Safety $472,500/Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) Increase State Expenditures - $173,300/Safety Decrease Local Revenue - $472,500 Increase Local Expenditures - Not Significant

I have a feeling that is why I'm not hearing back from any of our fine reps.. They know the state will lose money on the background checks and not being able to charge us $115 for the initial fee and the $50.00 renewal fee. That or they are just anti-gun. (I have a few other choice words for them but being new to the forum, I don't want to push it..lol)

I wanted to ask that if anyone here wanted to help me push back for our 2A rights, I feel like this would be an easy way to contribute even more than you already do (and free!) by in your spare time taking the list of our state representatives [url="http://www.capitol.tn.gov/house/members/"]http://www.capitol.t.../house/members/[/url] and drop them an email with your request or respectful argument for them to co sponsor this bill [url="http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/billinfo/BillSummaryArchive.aspx?BillNumber=SB0397"]HB 3818/*SB 0397[/url] with Mr. Campfield -- you can obviously cut and paste to save time but I would do it one rep at a time so you don't get blocked by spam filters and it also has a more personal touch to it that way.
Let me know if you get a response because I haven’t heard anything back from any of them yet.

Thanks guy and gals!

[Dolomite_supafly]

Great first post.

Dolomite

[Guest Fingersoup]

[quote name='Dolomite_supafly' timestamp='1353579305' post='849383']
Great first post.

Dolomite
[/quote]

Thanks - glad I found the place. =P

[Steelharp]

[quote name='Fingersoup' timestamp='1353569956' post='849381']I have a feeling that is why I'm not hearing back from any of our fine reps.. They know the state will lose money on the background checks and not being able to charge us $115 for the initial fee and the $50.00 renewal fee.
[/quote]

Hammer, meet nailhead.

Welcome; excellent post, and there is the crux of the matter.

[JayC]

By law the state is only supposed to use the money it gets today to run the HCP program, so those numbers are really valid. If the state continues to charge $115 for a one time permit for those who want to carry outside the state. Then TDOS would be forced to cut "jobs" associated with the HCP program. This would be no different than if fewer people choose to get permits in the first place, they would be forced to cut those same "jobs".

I use the term 'job' loosely, as they are nothing more than make work positions... Also, TDOS is wasting money left and right in that program, because it's use it or loose it.

The local revenue is money paid by TDOS for the 'records check' of your local CLEO, again that money is only supposed to be used for these records checks, not for anything else.

[Oh Shoot]

[quote name='Fingersoup' timestamp='1353569956' post='849381']
.... A resident of this state who is so authorized to carry a handgun may carry a handgun in any other state with which this state has entered into an agreement of reciprocity for handgun permits.[/quote]

Right now we can carry in 39 states

If could only carry in reciprocal states, would be only 22.

Would still need to have permit process or lose the others.

- OS

[Guest Fingersoup]

If I understand it correctly it says, "provides endorsements on driver licenses of persons who obtain a handgun carry permit; makes permanent the issuance of a handgun carry permit" if you want to go ahead and get one. I personally would put constitutional carry in a priority over reciprocal states clauses but regardless, it looks like it covers the best of both worlds.. I'm not a lawyer so lines of legal jargon begin to look like latin after a few paragraphs to me - so I could be wrong..


With that being said, if anyone has any questions or suggestion on changing the wording of the purposed bill (or even purposing any other pro 2[sup]nd[/sup] bills that you think we could get passed) then drop Sen. Stacey Campfield <[email="sen.stacey.campfield@capitol.tn.gov"]sen.stacey.campfield@capitol.tn.gov[/email]> an email. – Seriously, don’t be afraid to write him because one thing I have noticed is that he is very different than other politicians in that he actually answers his own emails at all hours of the day and has never responded with form letters. I’m neither in support nor against his seat in the TN senate. I’ve never taken the time to study his policie stances in other regards, so don’t take this as an endorsement of the man. I'm just impressed with how personable he has been in corresponding with me regarding this bill.

If you already support it and want to help me then start emailing our house of reps members (the link to their emails is above) asking them to cosponsor [url="http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/billinfo/BillSummaryArchive.aspx?BillNumber=SB0397"]HB 3818/*SB 0397[/url] with him.

[b]We really have to be proactive and politically aggressive[/b] because there is a very serious, determined and well connected group that is in opposition to this freedom we so value. - Every chance we can find to peacefully take back our rights, we should jump at it... I’ve learned that arguing logic with liberals and trendies on forums and in the comment sections of online news articles does nothing to help our cause so I’m trying this whole political thing – even if it’s just dropping an email and voting pro constitution candidates whenever I can. I would encourage everyone else to give it a try. .. My only advice would be to be polite, to the point and obviously never use threats no matter how pissed you are.

[Guest 270win]

Work at removing the restrictions on the permits first. Cut out the local park carry bans, the sign fines, and school carry ban for those with permits. THEN go for legalizing car carry without a permit, and THEN Constitutional carry.

You have a much better chance removing restrictions on those with permits and also legalizing keeping a loaded pistol in the car than full Constitutional carry.

[Guest Fingersoup]

[quote name='razorback2003' timestamp='1354128010' post='852013']
Work at removing the restrictions on the permits first. Cut out the local park carry bans, the sign fines, and school carry ban for those with permits. THEN go for legalizing car carry without a permit, and THEN Constitutional carry.

You have a much better chance removing restrictions on those with permits and also legalizing keeping a loaded pistol in the car than full Constitutional carry.
[/quote]

I'm for all of those things but I figure it doesn't hurt to support a politician if he is [i]already purposing the bill[/i]. If they don't receive support, they might figure the constituents don't have enough interest in 2nd amendment issues to bother bringing up another one in the future. The chances are slim but it doesn't cost us anything to [i]try [/i]to get it through.

[Guest Fingersoup]

[quote name='razorback2003' timestamp='1354128010' post='852013']
Work at removing the restrictions on the permits first. Cut out the local park carry bans, the sign fines, and school carry ban for those with permits. THEN go for legalizing car carry without a permit, and THEN Constitutional carry.

You have a much better chance removing restrictions on those with permits and also legalizing keeping a loaded pistol in the car than full Constitutional carry.
[/quote]

I wanted to add that if you find a purposed bill that implements those things, post it in here and I will support it but this is an opportunity that is real and already in the works. Here you have a politician trying to drastically advance our gun rights and my rally call to support his attempt has been met with excuses and defeatism. So what if we can’t get a co sponsor? At least you can say you actually tried to do something instead of just complain about the continued erosion our 2[sup]nd[/sup] amendment rights here in TN. The odds are low but it cost you absolutely 0 to try and the payout is a boon of freedom.

[Guest 270win]

I think having a few bills to advance the permit system and cut the restrictions have a better chance than having permit less carry.

In an ideal world, I would like to be able to carry any firearm I want anywhere I want without any permit or license. I just don't see that happening when currently you can't even carry in certain places legally WITH a permit in this state. A few years ago, the permit was almost worthless here because you couldn't even carry in any restaurants that served liquor, parks, WMA land. We just need to make carrying in a school legal, all city and county parks, and cut the 500 dollar sign fine and we would have a great permit system in this state that truly is of value.

[Guest Fingersoup]

[quote name='razorback2003' timestamp='1354500283' post='854004']
I think having a few bills to advance the permit system and cut the restrictions have a better chance than having permit less carry.

In an ideal world, I would like to be able to carry any firearm I want anywhere I want without any permit or license. I just don't see that happening when currently you can't even carry in certain places legally WITH a permit in this state. A few years ago, the permit was almost worthless here because you couldn't even carry in any restaurants that served liquor, parks, WMA land. We just need to make carrying in a school legal, all city and county parks, and cut the 500 dollar sign fine and we would have a great permit system in this state that truly is of value.
[/quote]

[b][size=3][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Again, show me those bills and I will support them.. in the mean time I encourage everyone to browse around and read the comment sections of news articles re: the Jovan Belcher murder.. about 1 out of 4 is someone advocating "gun control" using some kind of screwed up liberal logic. These people make me sick to my stomach, they are dead serious about taking your firearms and here we are nay saying and giving excuses to not even try to be politically active when all it takes is an email. EVEN IF NOTHING COMES OF IT - YOU HAVEN'T LOST ANYTHING.[/font][/size][/b]

[Guest Fingersoup]

It was really discouraging all the 'negative nancy' and apathetic replies to this post re: a purposed constitutional carry bill .. I hope recent events have lit a fire under some to become more politically active and remind everyone we need to constantly be on the political offensive - always demanding more recognition of our rights.  

[Worriedman]

It was really discouraging all the 'negative nancy' and apathetic replies to this post re: a purposed constitutional carry bill .. I hope recent events have lit a fire under some to become more politically active and remind everyone we need to constantly be on the political offensive - always demanding more recognition of our rights.  

Spend a little time researching the stances of House and Senate Leadership, and see the discarded bodies of those legislators who have championed ANY efforts to expand our firearms carry capabilities.  (see Judd Matheny and Mae Beavers)

 

Don't get me wrong, you are singing from my hymnal, but the choir is small, and the Arch Bishops are killing those who do not sing from theirs.

[Oh Shoot]

Don't get me wrong, you are singing from my hymnal, but the choir is small, and the Arch Bishops are killing those who do not sing from theirs.

 

Sadly true.

 

Only in TN does a Republican super-majority equate to at best a Blue Dog Democrat one on many issues.

 

- OS

Edited January 14, 2013 by Oh Shoot