Bill Lee's Administration kills REAL Constitutional Carry for 2022 - yet ANOTHER broken promise.
The Senate Judiciary “killed” the 2022 REAL constitutional carry bill (HB2524/SB2866)
last week by sending it to “summer study”. Although the rules would have allowed that bill to be recalled to the Senate if the House had moved forward on it, that option is dead as of today because apparently Speaker Sexton and the majority of House Republicans - at least those on the Criminal Justice Committee - did not want it this year and/or were unwilling to put the Senate into a situation to force a vote of all Senators on the recall.
We also
know that this is EXACTLY what Governor Bill Lee, his Commissioner in
the Department of Safety, Jeff Long (a former sheriff), and the
Department of Safety’s taxpayer funded spokesperson had all wanted – kill
the bill.
The House version of the bill had a chance today to be advanced (and potentially resurrecting the Senate bill) when the bill was heard as the very last bill of the year in the House Criminal Justice Committee chaired by Mike Curcio (who is retiring). When it came up, the bill's sponsor, Rep. Jerry Sexton, referenced the status of the bill in the SenWate as if that alone was the thing that made it impossible to pass the bill this year. What then occurred is that the committee "amended" the bill, yet again, so that it would be, according to Chairman Curcio, in the proper format if - IF - it actually does come up in "summer study". Once that amendment was added, Rep. Sexton announced he was "taking the bill off notice" which means it never got a vote on the merits in that committee. Technically it can be brought to the House floor - but we all know - wink, wink - Bill Lee will exercise influence to make sure that does not happen.
But what can the voters do?
Well, it is an election year. Several of the Republicans with proverbial "blood"on their hands like Senator Mike Bell and Rep. Michael Curcio are retiring. But others are not. It will be important to keep that in mind and use your votes and encourage other voters to be prepared to vote for anyone other than those Republican members who actively assisted Bill Lee in killing this bill.
You can also make sure you are talking to these legislators - face to face - to make it clear that this is something you wanted this year and that you still want. Make sure they understand you actually know that what was passed in 2021 was not REAL Constitutional Carry even if Bill Lee told you it was. Let your frustrations and anger be known. Where you have an opportunity support conservative challengers in your district. Where you have a chance, financially support conservatives - real conservative not "trans-conservatives" - in other districts. We will only get REAL Constitutional Carry in the future if the legislators understand that this is an issue that can cost them a seat or a re-election.
TFALAC Annual Event
Finally,
the TFALAC (TFA’s political action committee) has set its annual BBQ
lunch and auction for Saturday, September 3, 2022 at the Farm Bureau
Expo Center in Wilson county, Tennessee. Please sign up as sponsors, vendors or purchase your tables and tickets. |
