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By John Harris [Tennessee Firearms Association] and The Tennessee Conservative Staff-
A number of new bills were filed last week in the Tennessee General Assembly regarding firearm laws in our state.
The bills that the Tennessee Firearms Association has identified so far for tracking can be found HERE.
Below is a quick summary of some but not all of the bills in the report.
Also, TFA believes that some of the bills may be “caption bills” which means that they have been filed as placeholders. In cases such as this, the actual intended legislation has not been filed yet but would likely appear, if at all, as an amendment.
Note also that the bill cutoff date is not until next week so more bills can be expected.
First, there is not, at this time, a new “REAL” constitutional carry bill filed this year as of yet.
There are two bills still pending from 2021 that are better than Bill Lee’s permitless carry “milestone” but those have not seen movement since January 1, 2022.
SB1816/HB1951 is new and was filed by Democrats Sen. Campbell and Rep. Freeman. It would create new procedures and problems for those who are referenced as “domestic violence offenders” to dispose of their firearms to third parties. The bill would require third parties who receive the firearms to sign an affidavit to be filed with a court that they have received and are “responsible” for the firearms.
SB1896/HB2004 is new and was filed by Democrats Sen. Campbell and Rep. Clemmons. It would create a misdemeanor punishable by up to 11 months 29 days for someone to knowingly loans, gives or transfers a firearm to someone that the person ‘should reasonably know’ is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.896
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SB1970 by Democrat Sen. Kyle is new. It may be a caption bill. As written it would repeal the vehicle transport law enacted in 2014.
SB1972/HB2059 is by Democrat Sen. Kyle and Rep. House Sparks and would extend the sales and use tax exemption on gun safes and gun safety devices.
SB2024 by Rep. Sen. Hensley would allow someone to voluntarily register with the state a waiver of firearms rights in order to prohibit the person from purchasing a firearm and creates an offense for someone to sell a firearm to such person.
SB2023 by Rep. Sen. Massey would require taxpayers to fund up to $50 the cost of a voucher for people purchasing a handgun to take “free” handgun safety courses.
HB1660 by Dem. Rep. Barbara Cooper would delete the permitless carry law.
HB1735 by Rep. Rep. Todd would allow those 18 and older to obtain enhanced permits, concealed permits or to rely on the 2021 permitless carry law. The bill treats 18-20 year olds in the military or honorable released differently from 18-20 year olds without military service with respect to geographic limits on firearms possession.
HB1760 by Rep. Rep. Griffey has been called “Kyle’s” law and creates a procedure where those criminally prosecuted for a criminal homicide offense but found not guilty at trial to recover their litigation fees and expenses from the state or prosecuting attorney (individually).
HB1898 by Rep. Rep. Grills would convert the handgun permits to “firearms” permits.
HB2087 by Rep. Rep. White would make it a crime to store a firearm or ammunition in an unattended motor vehicle unless the item(s) are stored locked away and out of view.
About the Author: John Harris is the Executive Director of The Tennessee Firearms Association. You can contact TFA here. You can join TFA here.
