TN House Bill 320
I like it:
Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1351(b), is amended by adding the following language to the end of the subsection:
The holder of a valid handgun carry permit issued pursuant to this section shall have the same rights, privileges, and prohibitions regarding the carrying of firearms, as permitted by state law, of any law enforcement officer, as defined in § 39-17-1350(d), who is not engaged in the actual discharge of official duties.
February 5th, 2015 at 7:08 pm
What? You mean applying “the equal protection of the laws” (14th Amendment) whereby the people will be treated the same as their EMPLOYEES? Whatta radical concept!
February 5th, 2015 at 7:38 pm
It’s definitely a step in the right direction. It would be better if they instead stated that LEOs had the same rights and immunities as any other citizen whether on or off duty.
February 5th, 2015 at 8:46 pm
If it ever gets a floor vote, our RINO Governor will veto.
February 5th, 2015 at 9:24 pm
I doubt it gets past Beth Harwell to get to the Governor. LEOs can carry pretty much anywhere anytime. As a LEO, I think it would be great for permit holders. The 3 big areas it would help are the Safe Commute situation, carry in parks and schools and it would gut the ability of businesses/government to ban carry on their property.
February 5th, 2015 at 10:47 pm
HL: Doesn’t matter if the governor vetoes it. The governor’s office is a very weak position. It takes a 2/3 majority to pass a bill, but only a simple majority to override a veto.
That’s right, it’s easier to override a veto than it is to pass the bill in the first place.
February 6th, 2015 at 7:19 pm
“The holder of a valid handgun carry permit issued pursuant to this section shall have the same rights, privileges, and prohibitions regarding the carrying of firearms, as permitted by state law, of any law enforcement officer”
But not the same right to bear full auto firearms, wear full up body armor, operate armored personal carriers, or shoot fellow citizens and their dogs just because they felt like it?
Weak.
February 6th, 2015 at 8:10 pm
Just take guns away from the cops then, eh? That’s the problem with redundant law like that—in this case it ignores the pre-existing second amendment, which recognizes the pre-existing right to keep and bear arms without regard to police or anyone or anything else. You no longer have an inherent right– You have a privilege that’s equal to, and now determined by, the privilege some other specific class of person has.
We may celebrate this kind of thing, and yet it is fraught with hazards, and logic errors.
February 7th, 2015 at 5:58 pm
Works for me. It gives every permit holder equal carry rights, it does not give them police powers. Permit holders understand they are not cops and we do not get many instances of them attempting to be one.
February 8th, 2015 at 9:39 pm
I agree with Lyle at 7.
Instead LEO should be allowed the same weapons and ‘privileges’ that citizens are allowed,no more no less. Eliminating the magic fairy dust of government might finally allow citizens to enjoy our true 2nd Amend Rights once LEO starts screaming for more and more, and claiming they are being infringed upon. They are only citizens after all who have been hired to perform a service that all citizens should participate in. How about returning to Peel’s fundamentals of policing?