NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — While discussion on gun legislation in Senate committees was delayed at least a week, there are still plenty of bills filed that deal with firearms and gun safety for legislators to consider this legislative session.
While the vast majority of them would loosen or relax gun laws already in place, some bills filed seek to implement more gun safety measures in the state. News 2 has compiled a list of those bills here:
HB 237/SB 10: Would allow Davidson and Shelby counties to roll back the “constitutional carry” law in those districts and require gun owners in both counties to have a handgun carry permit.
HB 380/SB 17: Would require certain state departments to create programs to reduce gun violence in communities, including a youth employment program, violence intervention program and a gun safety program; as well as require the health department to submit an annual report to the legislature and county governments on public health impacts on gun violence.
HB 970/SB 958: Would require gun permit courses include information about the use of gun locks.
HB 1233/SB 1029: Makes storing a firearm or ammunition in a vehicle or boat while unoccupied a crime, unless they are hidden from plain view and locked within the trunks, utility or glove box or in a similarly locked container securely affixed to the vehicle or boat. Would also require the owner of said firearm or ammunition report a theft of such to law enforcement within 24 hours of the discovery of the theft.
HB 1236/SB 1526: Would enact the “Demilitarization of Police Act.” This bill would make any law enforcement agency in the state seeking surplus military equipment, including machine guns, armored vehicles, night vision scopes, camouflage fatigues and flash band grenades, to provide a written 90-day notice of such request to the joint government operations committees of the general assembly or the governing body of the funding agency’s jurisdiction. That governing body would then have to approve or deny such request by resolution. Also, the bill would require each law enforcement agency to create an inventory list of all previously acquired surplus military equipment and include the “demonstrated need” for having that equipment and the training provided for its use, as well as costs associated with its maintenance.
HB 1439/SB 1021: Increases the penalties for someone “knowingly giving, selling, lending, delivering, or otherwise transferring” a firearm to someone who is prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm under state or federal law.
HB 1466/SB 1343: Would redefine the term “minor” to mean someone under the age of 21 for purposes of obtaining a firearm, unless the person is currently in the military or honorably discharged from the military. The bill would also make it a Class A misdemeanor for a minor to purchase or own a firearm or for a person to sell, loan or gift a firearm to someone under ago 21 unless they’re in the military or a veteran.
Hundreds of bills will be up for debate during the 113th General Assembly. Tennessee lawmakers shared their thoughts on some of the major issues up for discussion at this year’s legislative session.
What lawmakers had to say about: Abortion Ban Clarification | Marijuana Reform | Transgender Therapy and LGBTQ+ Rights | Dept. of Children’s Services | Education | Crime/Public Safety | More
You can also find daily coverage from the session here.