As you know, the House Judiciary Committee passed Restaurant Carry 2.0 last night. The bill’s sponsor, Curry Todd, came to the TFA meeting and I got a chance to speak with him about some things.
The process will go like this: The bill goes to the Budget Subcommittee first, probably next Tuesday. The week after, it will go to the full committee (Finance, Ways, and Means) because the bill has a positive fiscal note. Basically that means that it will cost the state less money if the bill passes, so it won’t be a problem.
After it passes out of Finance, it will go to the Calendar and Rules Committee, where they will add it to the calendar for the full House. Todd expects that to be mid-April.
I still don’t have the full text of the bill because it’s not posted on the State’s website. It’s not going to be what’s up there today. The bill as amended completely strips out the restriction on guns in places that serve alcohol.
Remember, what we have right now is a blanket prohibition on guns where alcohol is served under TCA 39-17-1305. Then we carve out exceptions for law enforcement, security personnel, and owners/managers/employees. HB3125 as ammended deletes 39-17-1305.
A judge cannot rule that the absence of a law is unconstitutional. Well, not without getting slapped by an appellate judge, they can’t.
It will still be illegal to carry without a permit, or while drinking, or into a place properly posted under 1359.
The bill also changes the posting requirements from “must be substantially similar to” to “must be” specific language. There was apparently some ambiguity on whether Randy Rayburn’s “No guns ever, free parking always” signs were legally binding so Todd and Sen. Jackson are clarifying that part of TCA 39-17-1359 and putting up a PDF on the state’s website that businesses can print out and stick on their doors, eliminating the “ZOMG Signs Cost Money!” argument.
I plan on being in the gallery for the House Vote. You are welcome to join me. As soon as a date is set, I’ll let you know.
[...] habit of addressing their idiotic editorials, fun though a good fisking can be. However, what with HB3125 moving forward in the Tennessee Legislature, hit would appear as though the Commercial Appeal is doing its damnest to out-hysterical its [...]
Bredesen strikes again. He just vetoed the bill. What else is new. This guy couldn’t care less about public safety.
Now where does this sit? I am hoping this will get passed in spite of the veto.
Last I heard, it was put on notice yesterday. It could be voted on today or (more likely) tomorrow right before the budget.