On Friday, May 2nd, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed two pro-Second Amendment bills that position the state as a Second Amendment sanctuary for both businesses and individuals.
Senate Bill 1360 / House Bill 873 protects the firearm industry from civil liability. As we reported when these bills were under consideration in the legislature, these protections have already made Tennessee home to many firearms manufacturers.
Senate Bill 1318 / House Bill 1332 clarifies that the minimum age to obtain a concealed handgun carry permit in Tennessee is 18 years of age, affirming the Constitutional right is accessible to all legal adults.
In a statement on their website, the NRA wrote:
The NRA thanks Governor Lee, the lawmakers that championed these bills, and all NRA members and Second Amendment advocates for their engagement on these bills.
Tennessee Still Has Progress to Make
Even with these positive developments, Tennessee is not without controversy when it comes to Second Amendment rights.
As we reported last year, Gov. Lee is defending a lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s “parks statute” and Tennessee’s state-wide “gun free zone statute” brought by Gun Owners of America, Inc., and Gun Owners Foundation along with three private individuals.
Additionally, Tennessee conservatives have staunchly resisted the effort to amend an archaic rule in the state Constitution known as the “intent to go armed” clause which makes the default rule on carrying handguns a crime.
To continue the positive momentum in this state, it’s critical that people support state gun rights groups like the Tennessee Firearms Association which brings political pressure to bear on the legislature, and Keep and Bear, which advocate for the normalization of open carry.
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