This just in
WizardPC emails:
HB898 passed, 89-6, but not before Rep Campfield asked the sponsor if he had been contacted by Serpas or Bredesen. Sponsor responded in the negative, with a big ole smile.
After posing the question, Rep Mike Turner suggested that Campfield better not speed in this county after questioning Serpas’ motivations. Turner, the Democratic Caucus Chairman, likes to snark on the floor.
Rep Bass stated that this bill would bring off-duty officers in line with Carry Permit Holders in regard to restrictions on carry in restaurants that serve alcohol. It sounds like this was voted on under the assumption that the veto on 962 would be overridden.
update: More from Rep. Campfield:
Today HB898 by Watson allowed police officers and former police officers to carry in places that serve alcohol when off duty. Police officers don’t necessarily have a carry permit. They often times have POST certification. We will see if Bredesen really believes “Guns and alcohol don’t mix” if he vetos the bill to be consistant. I am ready for chief Cerpas to come out strongly against this legislation if he really believes what he says.
June 3rd, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Let us see if our Governor and police chiefs live up to their words.
June 4th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Now, if Bredesen was being truthful – misplaced but truthful – he has no option but to veto HB0898 assuming that the Senate passes it because its a “guns in bars bill.”
He cannot claim that officers have more training – because even if they do such training clearly does not keep them from drinking because police officers (some but not all) do in fact drink.
He cannot claim that they have more training because there are many permit holders with far more training than the average police officer who range qualifies with dust in his or her gun.
He cannot claim that they are less likely to have an accidental discharge because they have them quite frequently with what most of them carry for duty weapons.
Now, the question is does Bredesen really believe in what he said about “guns in bars” and if so will all those Blue Shirts be standing there?
More interesting will be this issue. If those Blue Shirts really believe that guns and bars don’t mix, are they going to independently of any state law PROHIBIT their officers as a departmental policy from carrying into restaurants while on or off duty unless they are in the “official discharge of their duties?”
My bet – Hypocrites.
http://www.tfaonline.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=64&t=2150