Dear Member and Tennessee Firearms Supporter,
This morning Senator Mae Beavers' bill (SB2424) to allow open carry in Tennessee without the need for a handgun carry permit just passed the state Senate in an unexpected vote of 25-2!!!
The
House bill by Rep. Micah Van Huss (HB2409), if passed in the House, would allow anyone in Tennessee who is legal to possess a gun to be able to open carry a handgun on their person without a permit.
RIGHT NOW, your urgent action is needed to see this bill all the way through to becoming law before they kill it for the year!
Unfortunately several weak-kneed Republicans in the state House, such as Finance Committee Chairman Charles Sargent, are preventing this bill from coming to the floor for a full vote.
Rep. Van Huss bill, as
amended, has an "insignificant" fiscal note. With an insignificant fiscal note, it should not have been assigned to the House Finance committee which lacks jurisdiction over bills with no fiscal impact. However, the bill was assigned there anyhow. This committee, under the leadership of Chairman Charles Sargent, is said by many to have expertise at killing bills that leadership does not want to pass.
Today, the bill was assigned to a subcommittee of the House Finance Committee. It should have, at most, sent the bill on recognizing that the committee had no jurisdiction over it. Instead, the committee is trying to run out the clock and stall the bill before they have to take a vote on it. They have sent it to the "last calendar" which is an effective and long standing tactic to kill legislation.
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 "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.
Her contact information is:
Phone (615) 741-0709
Fax (615) 741-4917
speaker.beth.harwell@capitol.tn.gov
This is our last chance this year, it is up to you!
CALL EACH OF THESE LEGISLATORS RIGHT NOW AND TELL THEM TO PASS HB 2409 TO THE HOUSE FLOOR FOR A FULL VOTE!!!
(The ones with the asterisk* appear to be opposed to the bill or "fence sitting" and 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
PS - Open carry in TN just passed the state Senate, but Governor Haslam's minions such as Rep Charles Sargent are preventing it from coming to a vote in the House. This may be our last chance to pass open carry in Tennessee this year. It is CRITICAL that you call the above legislators and tell them to PASS HB2409 for a full floor vote!