April 5, 2024
Tennessee Legislative Report for the week of April 1, 2024.
April 2, 2024, was the Tennessee Firearms Association and Gun Owners of America joint Lobby Day. We had excellent participation from numbers supporters (over 100 based on the consumption of the provided lunch) and several Legislators who participated in the luncheon and spoke with the attendees. It was a very good day to see some of the Legislators who consistently champion pro-Second Amendment legislation fighting for us. It was also an excellent chance to see the shenanigans of a number of Legislators, including Republican legislators, who are part of the problem with passing true Second Amendment legislation in Tennessee.
This is the TFA report of all bill activity for the week of April 1, 2024.
One of the bills that we hoped would move forward this week was SB2516/HB2689 (Sen. Roberts and Rep. Doggett). This bill would establish, in addition to any claims that could be brought under the Federal Civil Rights Act, a state civil action against person or entity that infringes upon a person's right to bear arms under the Tennessee or United States constitutions. Rep. Doggett was able to move this bill forward out of the House Civil Justice Subcommittee. However, Senator Roberts indicated that the Senate Judiciary (which had 7 Republicans and only 1 Democrat) would not support the bill and so he moved it to summer study rather than ask for a vote on the bill. It is not clear which Senators were communicating to Sen. Roberts that they would not support the bill but TFA's Richard Archie had been in touch with Sen. John Stevens and it was clear that Sen. Stevens was not supporting the bill as written which may be the source of the lack of support.
We saw numerous other bills killed this week. Many of the anti-Second Amendment Democrat sponsored bills were defeated in either Senate Judiciary or one of the House subcommittees. A good bill, SB908/HB994 which would have clarified whether brandishment of a weapon when making a citizen's arrest would be lawful, was withdrawn by Sen. Nicely and the House subcommittee sent it to summer study.
SB2178/HB2908 would create a process for a person to voluntarily have themselves classified as a prohibited person who cannot own, purchase or possess firearms. The proposal would put the person's name on the federal NCIC database. Fortunately, the Senate Judiciary refused to pass the bill on April 2. However, Rep. Kumar insisted on pushing forward with the bill and was able to get it through the House Civil Justice Subcommittee. TFA has opposed this bizarre legislation each time it is offered but it keeps resurfacing.
SB2911/HB1600 would create a new age restriction on individuals who have certain juvenile convictions. This age restriction would prohibit those individuals from being able to purchase firearms until the age of 25. The Senate Judiciary liked this bill and moved it forward for Sen. Bailey. The House version by Rep. Williams is set for the Criminal Justice Subcommittee on April 9. TFA opposes this legislation because it clearly violates the Supreme Court's Bruen decision. SB2502/HB2082 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Fritts would have required TBI to make certain reports regarding the funds received for background checks. It was amended in the Senate Judiciary to change several age limits from 21 to 18 regarding handguns which is consistent with the federal court ordered entered against the state in 2023. This is a good bill and is set for hearing in the House Civil Justice Committee on April 10. You can see Rep. Fritts discussion of the bill on this video of the committee hearing (which also documents again the opposition of Gov. Bill Lee's administration, the Department of Safety, including its
liaison Elizabeth Stroecker and Col. Matt Perry of the Tennessee Highway
Patrol, to changes required by the Second Amendment). .
Tennessee Legislative Calendar for week of April 8, 2024.
There are many bills that we expect to be heard next week. TFA's comments and position on the bills are included in the Calendar Report.
Bills that need your support:
It is a short list because Sen. Republicans have killed most of the pro Second Amendment bills already. Bills that still need your support are:
SB2502/HB2082 by Sen. Hensley and Rep. Fritts
would have required TBI to make certain reports regarding the funds
received for background checks. It was amended in the Senate Judiciary
to change several age limits from 21 to 18 regarding handguns which is
consistent with the federal court ordered entered against the state in
2023. This is a good bill and is set for hearing in the House Civil
Justice Committee on April 10. You can see Rep. Fritts discussion of
the bill on this video
of the committee hearing (which also documents again the opposition of
Gov. Bill Lee's administration, the Department of Safety, including its
liaison Elizabeth Stroecker and Col. Matt Perry of the Tennessee Highway
Patrol, to changes required by the Second Amendment).
HJR38 by Reedy would amend the state's constitution regarding the right to arms to say "That the citizens of this State have a right to keep, bear, and wear arms." This bill must pass this year, and next, in order to be placed for a public vote in 2026.
Bills that need your opposition:
HB2908 by Rep. Kumar. This is a repeat
proposal, which has been defeated in prior efforts, to establish a
system where a person can "voluntarily" waive the right to purchase
firearms and thus self-classify as a prohibited person. This is a
dangerous proposal which could be abused, for example, by court's
conditioning disposition of cases and/or domestic matters on an
individual "voluntarily" signing up as a prohibited person. Note: This bill has already failed in Senate Judiciary but Rep. Kumar continues to support and push the legislation which is also supported by Rep. Faison and Rep. Swann.
HB1600 by Rep. Williams would create a new age restriction on individuals who have
certain juvenile convictions. This age restriction would prohibit
those individuals from being able to purchase firearms until the age of
25. The bill is set for the Criminal
Justice Subcommittee on April 9. TFA opposes this legislation because
it clearly violates the Supreme Court's Bruen decision.
2024 Candidate Qualifying Deadline April 4, 2024
The candidate qualifying deadline for the State Legislature was April 4, 2024. A preliminary list of those who may be running for office in August 2024 is in the attached PDF. A number of Republican incumbents who serve on the Senate Judiciary are up for re-election and have challengers including Sen. Jon Lundberg, Sen. Todd Gardenhire, Sen. John Stevens, and Sen. Paul Rose. Some other Senators, like Sen. Ferrell Haile who supported Red Flag legislation in 2023, also have challengers. There are also several proven Second Amendment Senators who have challengers. It will be important in both the House and Senate to watch for these candidates' responses to the 2024 TFA Legislative survey and to consider their voting and sponsorship records as well. A list of the individuals who have as of April 4, 2023, qualified to run for the State Legislature in 2024 is available on the Tennessee Secretary of State's website.
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