Although these are just a few of the many Tennessee gun bills under review right now, our Tennessee gun trust attorneys provide a brief breakdown of each bill and what firearms owners may expect in the year ahead:
Electronic address updates. Under the proposed terms of Senate Bill 495, gun permit holders in Tennessee would be able to notify the Department of Safety of changes of address. This requires the Department of Safety to provide a system through which residence changes can be submitted electronically. The system would be required on or after January 1, 2014. The bill is under Senate Judiciary Committee Review through February 11, 2014.
Firearms in parking lots. Senate Bill 724 removes business entities’ ability to inquire whether an employment applicant legally possesses a firearm. Also, businesses would not be permitted to search motor vehicles on premises for guns. On January 14, 2014 the bill was taken off notice in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Conditional employment for firearms owners. As of January 28, 2014, Senate Bill 1182 was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. This bill, which was introduced a year ago on February 6, 2013, proposes to prevent businesses from inquiring whether an employment applicant owns firearms. Employment decisions would not be conditional on firearm ownership. According to the Tennessee Firearms Association, this bill “creates immunity for employers…[who] allow lawful firearms or ammunition on their property.”
General Assembly firearms and ammo regulations. Senate Bill 1612 is under the review of the Senate Judiciary Committee as of January 16, 2014. Under this bill, local governments and state entities would not be permitted regulatory powers of firearms and ammunition unless items are present in public park grounds. Instead, the General Assembly will retain regulatory power over firearms, ammunition, and the components thereof. This includes regulations of the transfer, ownership, possession and transportation of firearms.
Tennessee Firearms Freedom Act Provisions. Currently under major political review, Senate Bill 1607 proposes to remove federal regulatory power over firearms within the State of Tennessee. Read more about the 2014 Tennessee Firearms Freedom Act in our gun trust attorneys’ post here.