Starting Jan. 1, obtaining a concealed carry handgun permit in Tennessee becomes easier.

Per a 2019 law passed by the state legislature, Tennesseans will now be able to take an online course in order to receive a carry permit, a significantly faster, cheaper alternative to the state's existing process that will require no hands-on training.

The state's current carry permit — which allows for open and concealed carrying — will remain the same, but is now being called an "enhanced permit." That includes taking a day-long in-person course and paying a $100 application fee.

The permit will cost just $65, but will only allow for concealed, and not open, carry. The new permit also doesn't allow for carrying a firearm on higher education campuses, which is approved under the enhanced permit.

Two vendors so far — Tier One Tactics and Clarksville Guns and Archery Tennessee Carry Permit Online School — have been approved to teach the 90-minute course, which both are offering online.

The application fees for both the enhanced and concealed permit options do not include course costs.

Online concealed carry course proved controversial in legislature

While legislation approving the new system was easily approved in the House, it faced bipartisan criticism in the Senate this spring when it passed 18-11. Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, was among four Republicans who did not cast votes.

Six Republicans joined the chamber's five Democrats in voting against the bill, which was opposed not only by Moms Demand Action, a gun control lobbying group, but by the Tennessee Firearms Association.

The bill was sponsored in the House by Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden, and in the Senate by Sen. John Stevens, R-Huntington.

Those applying for the new concealed carry permit must be 21, pass a background check from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and provide a certificate showing they completed a state-approved training course no more than a year before applying.

Reach Natalie Allison at nallison@tennessean.com. Follow her on Twitter at @natalie_allison.

Want to read more stories like this? A subscription to one of our Tennessee publications gets you unlimited access to all the latest politics news, podcasts like Grand Divisions, plus newsletters, a personalized mobile experience and the ability to tap into stories, photos and videos from throughout the USA TODAY Network's 261 daily sites.