Legislature overrides Veto on Restaurant Bill

One of the significant legislative issues that TFA has pursued for the last 15 years has been the repeal of existing restrictions on handgun permit holders.  This has taken many formats because of the number of existing restrictions under Tennessee law.  One of these restrictions has been a provision that prohibited a handgun permit holder from being in possession of their firearm in a restaurant that serves beer and/or other alcoholic beverages.

For several years, the Tennessee Senate has passed legislation which would have removed that restriction as it did in 2009.  This year, with the changes primarily in the leadership of the House of Representatives, that change was also approved overwhelmingly by the Tennessee House. 

That change in the law (passed under House Bill 0962) was vetoed by Governor Bredesen on May 28, 2009, despite huge margins in the Legislature.  Significantly, the Governor’s office had not lobbied the bill during the past 4 years.  It had not taken a position on the bill or suggested language that the Governor would accept.  Instead, the Governor, with the support of many appointed law enforcement officers, merely stood and said that “guns and alcohol” do not mix.  Apparently, he was just did not understand what the Legislature had done which agreed with that premise nor the effect of this law.

Within 24 hours, efforts were underway to institute the first veto override of Governor Bredesen’s two terms in office.  When the bill came back to the House on June 3, 2009, the veto override had 3 more votes than the original vote in favor of the legislation. 

When the bill came back to the Senate floor on June 4, 2009, history was about to be made.  There was minimal informed debate against the bill with the opposition largely limited to unfounded apprehensions similar to the “Chick Little” prophecies” set forth by the Tennessee Chiefs of Police Association, some sheriffs, some district attorneys and most of Tennessee’s newspaper editorials.

Senator Jackson made an extended presentation on HB0962 on the Senate floor. Its a must watch. It starts at about 48 minutes into the video clip.

Override vote in the Senate was 21 to 9 (3 were absent).

Senator Jackson talked for 30+ minutes.  He refuted many lies from opponents and the news media.  One issue in particular is the often heard “all” law enforcement opposes this as we have heard from Rep. Jimmy Naifeh and Governor Bredesen.  Well, not true. 

Senator Jackson stated he talked to all sheriffs in his district and several chiefs.  He read letters from sheriffs in his district supporting this bill.  He read a letter from a chief of police in his district who told some of the “inside” story on what happened with the Tennessee Chiefs of Police Association regarding the Governor’s veto and how some of the chiefs refused to go to the ceremony!!!

Effective date, according to Senator Jackson is July 14, 2009 which is 40 days from today.

This is a major victory for Tennesseans, our Constitution and the 2nd Amendment.  However, its just the beginning.  We have other issues on the horizon such as parks, longarms, school grounds, “class legislation”, etc.,  This is not the end, its the beginning of an era when 2nd Amendment legislation will not be constrained by political abuse such as we have seen by Jimmy Naifeh in the past.  Its an opportunity to move forward and improve the laws in Tennessee. However, to do this, we need to grow our network.  We need to grow our grassroots support.  We need to open new chapters in parts of the state, such as Jackson and Cookeville areas, to build our relations with legislators, law enforcement and yes, even future governors.  We need to have a presence with news media.  We need to come together as gun owners and be an stronger and more effective participant in the grassroots efforts that has brought us here today to CELEBRATE!