Nashville Business Journal on Firing workers with guns in cars

[MacGyver]

Ron Ramsey was on WPLN this afternoon trying to have his cake and eat it too. Claimed ignorance of the loophole, and that

“I feel confident that if they fired someone and they said that was the reason, that employer would be in for a lawsuit and he would lose.”

Pretty underhanded. Our current Republican supermajority wants nothing more than for gun owners to go away, and are more than happy to sacrifice us on the alter of the precious big business interests that have bought them.

I think we should publically name the next Debra Maggert.

Edit: link attached. http://wpln.org/?p=45536

[Guest PapaB]

We need to elect legislators that will ask one simple question before considering legislation affecting the RTKBA.

 

Does this legislation prevent crime in accordance with Article 1 Section 26 of the Tennessee State Constitution?

 

Where the answer is no, the law must be removed if already in effect and new legislation must be defeated.

 

When someone is running for the State House or Senate in Tennessee, this is the question they should be asked - "What does Article 1, Section 26 of the Tennessee State Constitution mean to you?" No other info should be given. If they don't know what it says, or they start spouting off about hunting or shooting sports, they are not a staunch supporter of our rights no matter what else they may claim.

[Guest Volfan615]

After reading the latest news on this bill as it goes to the house floor I just don't understand the point of it.  It basically does nothing.  

[GKar]

 

Ron Ramsey was on WPLN this afternoon trying to have his cake and eat it too. Claimed ignorance of the loophole, and that Pretty underhanded. Our current Republican supermajority wants nothing more than for gun owners to go away, and are more than happy to sacrifice us on the alter of the precious big business interests that have bought them.

I think we should publically name the next Debra Maggert.

Edit: link attached. http://wpln.org/?p=45536

I'm not sure how he can make that argument with a straight face (other than the simple fact that he is a politican, and such shenanigans are normal course of business in that cesspool). If you write a bill that leaves out a significant portion of language froma previous bill (conveniently, one that you directed to die), does it never occur to you to think of the consequences of that omission? If it doesn't, maybe you are in the wrong line of work...auctioneering does indeed seem a better career choice... Yeah, he knew...he and others were just hoping the light of day wouldn't shine on it. Once it did, he had two choices: man up (which he didn't, but Faison did), or play dumb. Door number two please, Monty.

Interestingly, I have yet to hear Faison try to reconcile his statements to the committee with Ramsey's espoused position.

[JRWnTN]

After reading the latest news on this bill as it goes to the house floor I just don't understand the point of it.  It basically does nothing.  

Like so much of what the legislature does.  Seriously, how many permit holders have been prosecuted for carrying a handgun on their employers' property?  I thought about sending an e-mail to my representative, asking him not to vote for the bill.  It's a waste of space in the Tennessee Code.

 

At least it took time away from passing new laws and spending money.  Maybe next year....

[RobertNashville]

After reading the latest news on this bill as it goes to the house floor I just don't understand the point of it. It basically does nothing.

It does very very little, frankly. It is not really much more than a bone being thrown at HCP holders in hopes that they'll shut up and let the ruling elite work in important things (like securing more campaign donations). ;) Edited February 21, 2013 by RobertNashville

[strickj]

It doesn't matter how the bill os worded. You can be fired for anything or nothing at all.

If the bill is worded to keep employees from being fired, the employer would just fire that employee for other reasons.

 

Anyone else wanna spend four more years on a useless feel-good law? :)

[RobertNashville]

No one said otherwise (that such a bill can stop anyone from being fired) but a bill can most certainly be written with some viable protections for employees and so that an employer cannot fire you for the cause of having a firearm in your vehicle against company "policy' (whether the parking lot is "posted" or not).

There are other ways of accomplishing it but if the state says to an employer that you...

 

1. Can't ask an employee about firearms (whether he owns any or not or whether he has an HCP)

 

2. Seal the HCP records (as they already should be)

 

3. Disallow an employer from asking to search a vehicle or attempt to compel the search of a vehicle with threat of termination if they don't "volunteer" to allow the serach

 

No bill, in any state, can be written that will stop an employer from firing an employee they really want to fire, no matter what reason they have for wanting to but it can certainly be made more difficult to do so (and least protect the employee's UI benefits).

[JAB]

Sounds like a pretty useless law, to me.  I still say the best way to handle it would be to declare the interior of a person's car to be protected just like the interior of their home and declare any 'right to search' clauses in employee contracts to be null and void in the state of Tennessee.  Heck, make it illegal for an employer to even ask to search an employee's vehicle.  If the employer suspects the employee has taken company property then let them call the cops, let the cops get a warrant and search the vehicle.  Otherwise, it is no one's business but my own what I legally keep in the interior of my vehicle which is my private property.

Edited February 22, 2013 by JAB

[gearyr]

The place I work at has  a policy. They can search our cars for contarband and weapons. If any are found we will fired on the spot!. This a union work place. So the new trunks in cars law does nothing for the people that have a HCP where I work at. Can't quit. been there over 30 years. So I will have to leave my handgun at home when I go to work. I do have a HCP. These lawmakers got bought by big business again. Thanks alot lawmakers for nothing. gearyr

[RobertNashville]

The place I work at has  a policy. They can search our cars for contarband and weapons. If any are found we will fired on the spot!. This a union work place. So the new trunks in cars law does nothing for the people that have a HCP where I work at. Can't quit. been there over 30 years. So I will have to leave my handgun at home when I go to work. I do have a HCP. These lawmakers got bought by big business again. Thanks alot lawmakers for nothing. gearyr

Yes, they did. Ramsey will deny it but this bill is better called Ramsey's "lose your job" bill.

[Guest HvyMtl]

Baby steps. Remember, you must take baby steps.

 

This is a baby step to making it so you can have your firearm locked in your car.  The next piece of legislation should be focused on prevention of firing.  I hope.

 

But, something the GOP won't do, is limit an employer on how they fire people...

[JayC]

For all this effort, we could have had the criminal penalty for 39-17-1359 removed, which would have resulted in the exact same thing.  Maybe even changed 39-17-1308 to include a persons vehicle so no permit would be required to have a loaded firearm in your car.

 

Baby steps. Remember, you must take baby steps.

 

This is a baby step to making it so you can have your firearm locked in your car.  The next piece of legislation should be focused on prevention of firing.  I hope.

 

But, something the GOP won't do, is limit an employer on how they fire people...