I know that most political pundits never admit to being wrong. I am sometimes wrong. Or at least, with more information or thought I sometimes change my mind. On January 26, 2008, in a post called “Guns is Bars,” I said:
Having been in a bar or two in my lifetime, I do not think firearms and alcohol are a good mix. This is a bad idea. I hope the House rejects it and if passed, the Governor should veto it.Since that time, the bill I was speaking of has passed the legislature and the Governor has vetoed it. I now think the subject bill is not a bad bill and the state legislature should override the Governor’s veto. The bill is not really a “Guns in Bars” bill at all, despite the way I characterized it and despite the press’s continual characterization of the bill as such.
In Tennessee, a restaurant is an establishment that earns more than 50% of its revenue from the sale of food. The bill that passed the state legislature and that the Governor vetoed would allow guns in restaurants that sell alcohol. A licensed concealed handgun carry permit holder can already carry a gun into a restaurant that does not sell alcohol. This bill would allow a concealed handgun permit holders to carry his handgun into a restaurant that also sells alcohol, but not into a bar. This bill would allow that person to carry his gun into O’Charlie’s but not into Tootie’s. In addition, the bill would allow any restaurant that wanted to continue to ban handguns to do so by simply posting a sign prohibiting guns in their establishment
Today at a meeting of the First Tuesday Group I heard a presentation from Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey. He explained that there has never been a crime involving a gun, committed by any of the state's more than 200,000 licensed concealed handgun carry permit holders. To qualify for a concealed handgun carry permit said Ramsey, the applicant must pass a written as well as a firing range gun test, must pay a fee of $200, must have a criminal background check, must be fingerprinted including all ten digits and the palms of both hands. As Governor Ramsey said, these are not the people we need to worry about.
I will not feel less safe if this bill passes.
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Well yea! If CCW in a bar is illegal that only means you can't legally carry in a bar. What about illegal carry?
ReplyDeleteCCW people are pretty responsible and the more of them around the lower that state's murder rate. Texas and Florida proved that.
"This bill would allow a concealed handgun permit holders to carry his handgun into a restaurant that also sells alcohol, but not into a bar."
ReplyDeleteYou're describing the bill that passed the House. The Senate bill (the final bill that Bredesen vetoed) makes no distinction between a bar and a restaurant, and allows guns to be carried in bars. Thus, the 'guns in bars' name.
The General Assembly website only describes the House bill.
Below is the language of the bill:
ReplyDeleteHB0962
00346872
-1-
SENATE BILL 1127
By Jackson
HOUSE BILL 962
By Todd
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 17, relative to firearms.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1305(c), is amended by
adding the following language as a new, appropriately designated subdivision:
(3)
(A) Authorized to carry a firearm under § 39-17-1351 who is not
consuming beer, wine or any alcoholic beverage, and is within the confines of a
restaurant that is open to the public, serves alcoholic beverages, wine or beer,
and is not an age-restricted venue as defined in § 39-17-1802.
(B) As used in this subdivision (c)(3), “restaurant” means any public
place kept, used, maintained, advertised and held out to the public as a place
where meals are served and where meals are actually and regularly served, such
place being provided with adequate and sanitary kitchen and dining room
equipment, having employed therein a sufficient number and kind of employees
to prepare, cook and serve suitable food for its guests. At least one (1) meal per
day shall be served at least five (5) days a week, with the exception of holidays,
vacations and periods of redecorating, and the serving of such meals shall be the
principal business conducted.
The bill never allowed guns in bars. Restaurants are defined in the bill. To see the full text and history of the bill, follow this link: http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0962
The press called the bill a "Guns-in-Bars bill" from the first and still describes it as such. It never was. There is difference between a bar and a resturant. There is a legal definition. When I was originally opposed to the bill, I thought it did allow guns in bars. I, like most people, get my news from the mainstream press. We were misled on what this bill really did. People are still being misled.