URGENT UPDATE!!!
Tennessee Department of Safety apparently willing to misrepresent state law to kill Open Carry legislation.
Legislators are trying to pass an Open Carry law in Tennessee but leadership and/or the Governor are trying to stop it.
Yesterday, Senator Mae Beavers' bill (SB2424) to allow open carry passed the state Senate on vote of 25-2!
However, also yesterday, the House bill by Rep. Micah Van Huss (HB2409), was "delayed" to a point where it may not even be heard on the House Floor. It was delayed by a subcommittee of the House Finance Committee (which is chaired by Rep. Charles Sargent). This committee has a "reputation" under Rep. Sargent's
leadership for killing bills in ways that preclude votes by all Representatives.
That is right, this bill may die and your legislator will not even be given the chance to vote on it. If that happens, what good is your right to vote to send representatives and senators to Nashville who are then denied the opportunity to vote on bills of interest to you?
Your urgent action is needed to see this
bill all the way through to becoming law before they kill it for the year!
So, why is this news today?
Yesterday, the bill had an "estimated cost" or a "fiscal note" that concluded that the law would not cost money to implement. As such, there was no jurisdiction in the Finance Committee to even vote on the bill. Bills without fiscal impact routinely never go to the Finance committee.
Then today a yet further revised fiscal note was released which states that the open carry law will cost an estimated $100,000 to implement! Why?
Because the Tennessee Department of Safety (under Haslam's control) has issued an opinion that if this Open Carry law passes that it wants to start printing on the handgun permits that it issues that the permits are "for the purpose of carrying a concealed handgun."
Here is what has been said in the amended fiscal note dated April 9:
| Other Fiscal Impact - The legislation does not require nor will it cause the Department of Safety to make any changes to handgun carry permit cards. If the Department does not make any changes to handgun carry permit cards, the fiscal impact for the bill as amended is not significant. However, the Department has indicated that, based on departmental policy, it will elect to make changes to the permit cards, for a one-time cost of $100,000, to reflect permit cards are issued for the purpose of carrying a concealed handgun. Corrected assumption for the bill as amended: - According to the Department of Safety (DOS), this bill as amended will not have an impact on the number of permits issued or renewed annually. The bill's fiscal impact to revenue from such permits is considered not significant. - Because of departmental policy, DOS will elect to make design changes to the handgun carry permit card to clarify and designate that such permits are issued for the purpose of carrying a concealed handgun. DOS indicates that it will elect to expend $100,000 on a one-time basis to make such design changes. |
State law does not have any concealment requirement for the handgun permits. The Open Carry bill does not create a concealment requirement for permit holders. Thus, that assertion by the Tennessee Department of Safety, that statement of intent, is a complete and utter misrepresentation of state law.
One could easily infer that it has been made for one purpose - to create a basis for a fiscal note that Charles Sargent's Finance Committee can use to kill the Open Carry legislation this year.
The legislature is set to close in just days, so it is CRITICAL that you call and e-mail the following legislators on the House Finance Committee and tell them to IGNORE THE MISREPRESENTATIONS IN THE AMENDED FISCAL NOTE and "PASS HB2409 TO THE FLOOR"
It is also critical to call and email the Speaker Beth Harwell with demands that she intervene and bring this bill immediately to the floor which can be done under House Rule 53.
Her contact information is:
Phone (615) 741-0709
Fax (615) 741-4917
speaker.beth.harwell@capitol.tn.gov
Let them know you are aware of the proposed misrepresentations by the Department of Safety and that its wrong for a state agency to indicate a willingness to lie about your legal rights and the status of the law.
(The ones with the asterisk* appear to be opposed to the bill or "fence sitting" and/or actively trying to infringe your right to keep and bear arms)
Here is an email list if you would like to copy and paste in to your e-mail client:
rep.charles.sargent@capitol.tn.gov, rep.david.alexander@capitol.tn.gov, rep.gerald.mccormick@capitol.tn.gov, rep.steve.mcdaniel@capitol.tn.gov, rep.dennis.roach@capitol.tn.gov, rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov, rep.mike.harrison@capitol.tn.gov, rep.joe.armstrong@capitol.tn.gov, rep.kevin.brooks@capitol.tn.gov, rep.kent.calfee@capitol.tn.gov, rep.mike.carter@capitol.tn.gov, rep.barbara.cooper@capitol.tn.gov, rep.craig.fitzhugh@capitol.tn.gov, rep.steve.hall@capitol.tn.gov, rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov, rep.matthew.hill@capitol.tn.gov, rep.curtis.johnson@capitol.tn.gov, rep.larry.miller@capitol.tn.gov, rep.gary.odom@capitol.tn.gov, rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov
In addition, do not forget to contact your personal House members and demand that they intervene!!! They can and should sign on immediately as co-sponsors on this bill. They can and should contact Speaker Harwell to put a stop to this "community organizer" style stunt.
You can look up your House member and his/her contact information at this index: House Directory
In liberty,
John Harris
Executive Director
Tennessee Firearms Association