Tennessee Lawmakers Allow Guns In Bars

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Handguns will soon be allowed in bars and restaurants in Tennessee under a new law passed by state legislators who voted to override the governor's veto.

The legislation that takes effect July 14 retains an existing ban on consuming alcohol while carrying a handgun, and restaurant owners can still opt to ban weapons from their establishments.

Thirty-seven other states have similar laws.

The state Senate voted 21-9 on Thursday against Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen's veto, a day after the House also voted 69-27 to override.

They overrode critics, including Bredesen, who said it's a bad idea to have guns and alcohol in close proximity.

Democratic Sen. Doug Jackson, the main sponsor of the bill, said state Safety Department records show handgun permit holders in Tennessee are responsible.

Of the roughly 218,000 handgun permit holders in Tennessee, 278 had their permits revoked last year, records show. Since 2005, state records shows nearly 1,200 people have lost their permits.

Revocations are issued for felony convictions, while permits can be suspended for pending criminal charges or for court orders of protection.

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Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, was the only senator to speak against overriding the veto Thursday.

"I believe that we should follow the governor and rethink what we have done," he said.

The law, which was supported by the National Rifle Association, has been successful in other states, its chief lobbyist said.

"Of those 37 states, not one state has attempted to repeal or amend those statutes because they've been successful," Chris Cox said.

Bredesen spokeswoman Lydia Lenker said after Wednesday's House vote that the Democratic governor expected an override when he vetoed the legislation last week.

Following Thursday's Senate vote, Bredesen, who is a gun owner and hunter, reiterated his stance to reporters.

"I still think I'm right," he said. "I still think that guns in bars is a very bad idea. It's an invitation to a disaster."

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Read HB0962 at: http://www.capitol.tn.gov

Comments

[M4dwoman]

OK. Let's play hypothetical here...
Suppose a good ol' boy is sitting in a local watering hole, not drinking like the law says.
This black guy, no let's be outrageous and say a gay, black guy (I know, it's TN. I said hypothetical.) walks in and starts drinking.
On his way to the restroom he accidentally trips and spills his drink on bubba's girl. He opens his mouth to apologize and the regular guy says "Suh, you have insulted mah lady," takes out his concealed .357 and blows the gay, black guy away.
Now let's take a quiz:
This is a hate crime Y N
This is justifiable homicide (the "He was asking for it" defense) Y N
This is murder Y N
This is legal under the new Tennessee law Y N
If you answered Y to 1 and 3 and N to 2 and 4 you're probably a democrat
If you answered N to 1and 3 and Y to 2 and 4, you're probably a republican

[SeeDaddy]

Very good..

[oldcliche]

I'm not really hip on how that would be a hate crime, since the antagonist in the scenario is just a belligerent with homicidal extremes. He didn't target him based on his ethnicity, nor sexual viewpoints. There is no basis for citing it as a hate crime.

Now the real question is, why is one carrying ones drink while going to the bathroom? The scenario fails to elaborate on key issues that you would like to raise.

[M4dwoman]

I'm sorry my hypothetical didn't include all of the salient details behind bubba's belligerence.
And experience has taught me that one carries one's drink to the bathroom to keep one's drink from being used as an ashtray. Or maybe getting spiked. Or in case the waitress clears your table while you're gone.

[JulieCarol]

What could possibly be the reasoning behind this? Do they really think this is a great idea? It's like they are flaunting guns and creating problems pushing Obama to do something about gun laws so they can say, "See, toldja he was gonna take away our guns"
It's pretty typical of rethugs to put lives in danger just so they can stick it to the Democratic president.

[maggienow]

Having worked in bars I can tell you from experience that the smallest incident can cause a riot. Try cutting off a drunk with a gun to your head. When I read stories about guns in the US like this one I thank God I had the good sense to move to Canada in 72!

[OKnight]

draft dodger , ehh....just kidding now, pun intended.

[maggienow]

Of course I wasn't a draft dodger but my ex was......whatya think we moved up here for the weather?

[JTCan]

me too..............only it took me a bit longer to get here.

[OKnight]

will they still serve sh.ts ?

[M4dwoman]

hahahaha snort.

[Topfeeder]

Firearms and liquor, always a good cocktail.

[MoeB]

Apparently you need the gun to mix your drink with...TN must have a straw shortage.

[jweider]

So the designated driver is now also the designated gun carrier.

[TremoluxMan]

That decision is as stupid as trying to give a Bobcat a suppository.

[olmossy]

LOL, I think you hit the nail right on the head.

[grey sells]

Ouch, just picture it.

[M4dwoman]

Hell, I wouldn't do that to a plain ol' housecat.

[zukervati]

The Tennessee lawmakers (an oxymoron if you ask me) have a collective IQ less than Cletus on the Simpsons. Heaven help the poor citizenry for walking into a bar full of drunks with loaded guns. Then again, it's the very citizenry that should be held accountable for electing their current "leaders".

[Camel54]

As part of the TN citizenry and someone who absolutely does not support this law, I don't think I should be held accountable in the manner you're implying. Nor do I think any child who may be in a restaurant and become the victim of a stray bullet should be held accountable in this manner. Perhaps know-it-all tourists who come to Tennessee to mock us and degrade our intelligence are okay with a blanket condemnation of millions of people and some might be okay with them being held accountable in this manner. I am not okay with it, though.

Seriously, you guys are missing the big picture, if Bin Laden shows up at Chili's, we're covered.

[factotem]

You're joking right? bin Laden has no interest in Tenn, because a terrorist event there would have no impact.

[zukervati]

LoL - surely you jest!
Not trying to lump all Tennesseans, but the complicity is similar to us Americans having Boosh elected twice - and that includes me as well, though I didn't vote for him.

[Teckwreck]

A positive move for all those folks who go to bars to hunt.

[olmossy]

You said that as a joke( I think ), but rest assured those people really exist.

[M4dwoman]

Yeah, and some do their hunting in churches.

[SworldPeas]

Sad part is... people will have to die before it's decided differently and even then there will be great opposition, it's just gross.

[Peter Grazia]

What aren’t they thinking about? Guns and Liquor. Stupid is as stupid does.

[OKnight]

no wonder the clampetts left...

[Diogenis]

nope, it was black crude dude.

[OKnight]

u sure ?

[Pansey]

I am ashamed to live in this back*ssward state - been here 11 yrs. and now plan to move out. With all our problems our legislature wated months and months with this idiotic bill. "got to please the base" - guess what? The base is now just in the southern states - ALL A BUNCH OF IDIOTS!

[Diogenis]

Move! Life is toooo short.

[factotem]

or you could stay there, and the fight the fight at it's front, instead of fleeing to a liberal stronghold.

[Janus]

It must have been a real test of stamina for you to endure eleven years in that Southern Strategy Region, home of the clueless Dupes and the evangelical crackpots who to their own detriment relentlessly support the Plutocracy and its political and media Stooges.

[PiscesPrincess]

Democratic Sen. Doug Jackson, the main sponsor of the bill, said state Safety Department records show handgun permit holders in Tennessee are responsible.

uh, and this is not a joke. come on now. SURELy this is a joke ?

sure, handgun permit holders in Tenn. are responsible. Give me a break, already.
and I am not targeting Tenn. any state. Why do people need to carry handguns. only law enforcement or people in related fields and why would they go into a bar except on business.
so what's going on here ... There are some strange people living in Tenn. and I have to admit.
We in Florida have some strange ones in our legislature as well.

[Bouddicca]

Diminish the Herd.

[olmossy]

I think stats here in Fla. show that people who get permit to carry firearms, are very unlikely to use the gun in a crime. Allmost non existant. I have no problem with that.
But I think letting aqmed people in bars is looking for trouble. Because of liability, I think you will see NO Firearms signs at every bar.
And on top of Barkeeps checking the ages of patrons, you will hear " Are you carrying ? "

[kasinca]

They should also allow them in the state legislatiure chambers and the court rooms, especially divorce courts.

[olmossy]

I read that before the Civil War, in the US Congress, one congressman challanged another to a duel, and produced some Bowie Knives.
Boy I bet politicians were carefull with their comments in those days.