*  House Bill 46, sponsored by State Representative Joshua Evans (R-66) and State Senator Jim Tracy (R-16), prohibits the Department of Safety, or any department-approved handgun safety employee, from requiring a carry permit applicant to furnish any identifying information concerning any handgun the applicant owns or possesses. HB 46 went into effect on April 27.

  * House Bill 70, sponsored by State Representative Henry Fincher (D-42) and State Senator Andy Berke (D-10) removed the prohibition against using deadly force in protection of personal property.  It expands the right to self-defense to include a place of business. HB 70 will take effect Wednesday, July 1.

  * House Bill 254, sponsored by State Representative Glen Casada (R-63) and State Senator Mark Norris (R-32), eliminate the requirement to provide a thumbprint as part of the background check process when purchasing a firearm. HB 254 will take effect Wednesday, July 1.

  * House Bill 390, sponsored by State Representative Henry Fincher (D-42) and State Senator Doug Jackson (D-25), allows handgun carry permit holders to possess or carry a rifle or shotgun with a loaded magazine—provided the firearm does not have a round in the chamber—while in a private motor vehicle.  HB 390 takes effect Wednesday, July 1.

  * House Bill 716, sponsored by State Representative Frank Niceley (R-17) and State Senator Mae Beavers (R-17), allows any resident who has a valid handgun carry permit to possess a handgun within the boundaries of any state park. It also allows for permit holders to carry into local parks as of September 1, as long as the locality does not opt-out of the law by resolution before that date. Tennessee now joins 31 other states that allow some form of state park carry.  Permit Holders can carry into Tennessee state parks as of June 12.

  * House Bill 962, sponsored by State Representative Curry Todd (R-95) and State Senator Doug Jackson (D-25), enables law-abiding Right-to-Carry permit holders to carry firearms for self-defense in restaurants that serve alcohol, provided the permit holder is not consuming alcohol.  HB 962 passed both the House and Senate with broad bipartisan support, but Governor Bredesen vetoed the bill on May 28, disappointing more than 200,000 Tennessee Right-to-Carry permit holders.  While an override of his veto needed only a simple majority vote to pass, it cleared both chambers with overwhelming, bi-partisan support.  The House voted to override Governor Bredesen by a margin of 69-27, and the Senate by a margin of 21-9.  HB 962 goes into effect July 14. 

  * Senate Bill 309, sponsored by State Senator Andy Berke (D-10) and State Representative Henry Fincher (D-42), grants a shooting range that had been in operation for at least 30 years prior to December 16, 2008, the right to continue operating at the same location.  This right may not be amended, restricted, or terminated due to zoning changes.  SB 309 went into effect May 19.

  * Senate Bill 2276, sponsored by State Senator Jim Kyle (D-28) and State Representative Eddie Bass (D-65), authorize the Department of Safety to present a law enforcement officer’s service weapon to the spouse or child of an officer who dies in the line of duty. SB 2276 went into effect on May 5.

Several pro-gun bills remain active in the Tennessee Legislature, but will not be heard again until the 106th General Assembly reconvenes Tuesday, January 12 for the 2010 session.  These bills include Permit Confidentiality, which was to be referred back to Calendars Committee because it lacked a majority vote; the disposition of confiscated firearms bill, which was on its final vote by the Senate; and the Right to Hunt and Fish Resolution, which was on its Second Reading in the House and was recommended for passage by the Finance Ways and Means Committee in the Senate.

House Bill 1395, sponsored by State Representative Joshua Evans (R-66) was referred to summer study and is expected to be discussed before next session.  HB 1395 would protect your right to lawfully transport and store firearms in your privately owned locked motor vehicle while parked in a publicly accessible parking lot controlled by your employer or a business you frequent. 

I changed this up a bit from the original

It is the month of June in the hills of Tennessee in a town called (insert TN small town here). It is raining, and the little town looks totally deserted. It is tough times, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.

Suddenly, a rich tourist comes to town. He enters the only hotel, lays a 100 dollar bill on the reception counter, and goes to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to pick one.

The hotel proprietor takes the 100 dollar bill and runs to pay his debt to the butcher. The Butcher takes the 100 dollar bill, and runs to pay his debt to the pig grower..

The pig grower takes the 100 dollar bill, and runs to pay his debt to the supplier of his feed and fuel.

The supplier of feed and fuel takes the 100 dollar bill and runs to pay his debt to the town’s prostitute that in these hard times, gave her “services” on credit.

The hooker runs to the hotel, and pays off her debt with the 100 dollar bill to the hotel proprietor to pay for the rooms that she rented when she brought her clients there.

The hotel proprietor then lays the 100 dollar bill back on the counter so that the rich tourist will not suspect anything. At that moment, the rich tourist comes down after inspecting the rooms, and takes his 100 dollar bill, after saying that he did not like any of the rooms, and leaves town.

No one earned anything. However, the whole town is now without debt, and looks to the future with a lot of optimism. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the United States Government is doing business today.

And if that doesn’t scare you, then you are brain dead!

Yes it’s real and the sane gun enthusiasts are dumb struck by this…how stupid can you be, first at the photographer and then second by the shooter and third by the so called range instructor.

WOW.

On Tuesday, June 12, House Bill 390 and House Bill 716 became law.

House Bill 390, sponsored by State Representative Henry Fincher (D-42) and State Senator Doug Jackson (D-25), allows handgun carry permit holders to possess or carry a rifle or shotgun with a loaded magazine—provided the firearm does not have a round in the chamber—while in a private motor vehicle.

House Bill 716, sponsored by State Representative Frank Niceley (R-17) and State Senator Mae Beavers (R-17), allows any resident who has a valid handgun carry permit to possess a handgun within the boundaries of any state park.  It also allows for permit holders to carry into local parks on September 1, as long as the locality does not opt-out of the law by resolution before that date. Tennessee now joins 31 other states that allow some form of state park carry.