Legislation passed to protect 2nd Amendment Rights

2019 – 2024

Permitless Carry

I and others in the General Assembly have worked to create more affordable and accessible means for Tennesseans to exercise their right to self-defense.
In 2021, the General Assembly approved legislation to create permitless carry so that all Tennesseans could exercise their constitutional right to carry firearms. (Public Chapter 108, 2021) I was a co-sponsor of the bill

Gun owners’ rights and protection

In 2024, the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act passed to protect financial transaction data associated with firearm and ammunition purchases from being used to conduct mass surveillance of law-abiding Tennessee gun owners. (Public Chapter Number 773, 2024)
In 2021, we passed a law to protect the anonymity of citizens owning firearms by making it a Class E felony for any public personnel to intentionally disclose information about the owner of a firearm for the purpose of compiling a federal firearms registry or confiscation of firearms. (Public Chapter 540, 2021)
Another law passed in 2021 protects gun owners by preventing a state or local entity from creating a registry to keep record of who possesses firearms in Tennessee. (Public Chapter 554, 2021)

A violation results in a Class E felony and loss of state funding for the following fiscal year.

The Tennessee Second Amendment Sanctuary Act makes it clear that state and local officials must not enforce laws, treaties, executive order, rules or regulations of the U.S. government that violate the U.S. and State Constitutions. (Public Chapter 553, 2021)
The Tennessee Firearm Protection Act prohibits the expenditure of state or local funds, and the use of employees, to enforce any federal law or executive order regulating the sale of firearms, ammunition or firearm accessories if they violate state law or the Tennessee Constitution. (Public Chapter 444, 2021)
In 2024, the General Assembly passed a resolution (1st passage) aimed at amending the state constitution to strengthen the right to bear arms by replacing the previous constitutional provision that authorizes the legislature to “regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent crime” and instead state that “citizens have a right to keep, bear and wear arms.” (Senate Joint Resolution 904, 2024)

Increasing areas trained law-abiding citizens can carry handguns

I sponsored a bill for Retired law enforcement officers who are employed on part-time basis by a higher education institution are allowed to carry a handgun on the property. (Public Chapter 149, 2023)

The person must have retired in good standing and have served for at least twenty years to be legally allowed to carry on higher education property.

A law was passed in 2019 that allows a Handgun Carry Permit to remain valid beyond the expiration date if the person is an active member of the United States Armed Forces who is stationed outside of Tennessee. (Public Chapter 367, 2019)
Highly-trained school staff have the option to carry a concealed firearm at school (Public Chapter 801, 2024)

Protecting firearm and ammunition manufacturers

In 2023, a law was passed to provide civil liability protection to firearm and ammunition manufacturers to prevent them from being held responsible for illegal acts carried out by criminals using their products. (Public Chapter 409, 2023)

Protections for carrying handguns while hunting

In 2023, the General Assembly ensured that any person can carry a handgun while hunting as long as the handgun is not used to hunt game. (Public Chapter 218, 2023)

The General Assembly passed a resolution to establish that within the borders of Tennessee, only Tennessee’s gun laws can apply in court. The measure makes clear that if a weapon made by a Tennessee gun manufacturer is used in the commission of a crime in another state, then that Tennessee manufacturer cannot be sued under the laws of another state. (HJR 131, 2024)

Incentivizing firearm safety

To promote the safe use of handguns, a law creates a grant to incentivize citizens to take handgun safety classes. (Public Chapter 445, 2023)

It authorizes the Department of Safety to utilize processing fees associated with applications for enhanced carry permits to pay reimbursements to approved handgun safety schools.

Ammunition Sales

In 2019, we repealed the ten cents privilege tax per container on all center-fire ammunition, shotgun shells and rim-fire ammunition. (Public Chapter 509, 2019)

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