A new bill proposal seeks to expand the places in Tennessee where a person can carry a firearm.
Senate Bill (SB) 1629, which was introduced by State Senator Joseph Hensley (R-Hohenwald), would allow Tennesseans to carry firearms in state and local parks, public greenways, recreational properties, and certain national parks and federal lands.
SB 1629 would permit public K-12 schools to restrict or deny access to their property to individuals carrying firearms.
Last year, a Tennessee court overturned two state laws that prevented carrying firearms in parks and having the “intent to go armed,” which refers to when someone carries a weapon and plans to use it aggressively.
In its decision on both laws, the court stated that the statutes violated the Second Amendment and Article I, Section 26 of the Tennessee Constitution, which affirms Tennesseans’ right to bear arms.
Mark Pulliam, a retired attorney, told The Michael Patrick Leahy Show that the judge’s decision in this case was “legally questionable.” Gibson County, where the case was decided, is not equipped to makde decision with broad constitutional impact, according to Pulliam.
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced he would appeal the decision made in this case. In reaction to this, Pulliam noted that if the attorney general did not appeal the decision, it would be a “dereliction” of his duty.
Besides attempting to allow more Tennesseans to carry a firearm in public places, SB 1629 also allows juveniles to handle a firearm if they are protecting livestock from predatory animals and “transporting or storing an unloaded firearm in a motor vehicle while on or utilizing a public or private parking area.”
SB 1629 also replaces the word “handgun” with “firearm” throughout the bill, thereby expanding the law’s scope to include rifles and shotguns. This change allows for legal protections to be expanded to other guns besides handguns.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at zschmidt1717@gmail.com.
Photo “Conceal Carry” by Clinger Holsters. CC BY-ND 2.0.
