| January 19, 2017
The Tennessee Department of Safety announces reversal of a "rule" that would have prohibited hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans from applying now for the reduced rate Lifetime Handgun Permits.
Tennessee's Legislature passed a law a few years ago to require the Haslam administration to make available "lifetime" handgun permits. However, it was soon realized that the cost at $500 per permit was too high for many Tennesseans who simply wanted to exercise a constitutional right. So, in 2016, the Legislature reduced the fees so that the Lifetime permit is an "affordable" $200 on a renewal and $300 if you are applying for a new permit. Better sure, but its not "constitutional" carry... yet.
When the law changed in 2016 to allow citizens to obtain lifetime permits effective January 1, 2017, the Tennessee Department of Safety took the position that most handgun permit holders were not eligible for the lifetime permits until their existing permits were either about to expire or had expired. Of course, no such limit was contained in the law. TDOS just "made it up." TDOS also takes the curious position that Tennessee handgun permits terminate or expire if you move out of state, even temporarily, even though that consequence is not part of the law either.
When Tennessee Firearms Association realized that TDOS was taking the position that most Tennesseans could not get the new, more affordable lifetime permits effective January 1, TFA raised this issue with some state legislators who were commenting on the new reduced rates on social media. Those Representatives were concerned that Tennesseans were being banned from applying for the reduced fee lifetime permits.
We are advised that Representatives William Lamberth and Mark Pody met with officials at TDOS and were able to make it a little clearer to the Haslam administration what the legislature had intended with the reduction in the lifetime permit fee structure and the absence of any language in the law that could even remotely be considered as prohibiting the most interested Tennesseans from apply for these lifetime permits - now. TFA members and all Tennesseans deserved more accountability from the administration and these legislators apparently agreed.
On January 18, 2017, TDOS issued a press release (attached) reversing its "rule" regarding when a permit holder can renew for purposes of getting the lifetime permit. As of now, TDOS has not issued press releases on other problems that it is creating for handgun permit holders and instructors, but TFA is working with legislators on those other issues as well.
However, the reversal on the renewals for lifetime permits is good news for Tennesseans and we wanted to let you know and let you know the names of some of the legislators who got involved as soon as they knew there was a problem at TDOS.
Yours,
John Harris
Executive Director
Tennessee Firearms Association
PS If you want
to help us move to get rid of gun free zones, to enact constitutional
carry, and to push back against an unwilling legislative leadership and an
uncooperative administration, please consider this request to join, renew and support
the Tennessee Firearms Association. Asking for your member support of TFA is a
call to action both financially and, more importantly, a call to
affirmative action of individual engagement in a real battle for the
restoration of our rights.
Other important links
TFA Website: www.tennesseefirearms.com
TFA PAC: www.tfalac.org
Facebook TFA Page: www.facebook.com/Tennfirearms/
Facebook TFA Group: www.facebook.com/groups/TennesseeFirearms/
Twitter: @Tennfirearms
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