Tennessee lawmakers prepare for onslaught of gun bills

A barrage of proposals aimed at easing restrictions on where and when Tennesseans can carry or have guns is up for debate soon at the General Assembly.

Lawmakers were set to consider eight bills Wednesday related to everything from allowing guns on property used by a school to legalizing targets that explode. As of Tuesday afternoon discussion of all but one of those bills has been delayed a week so that lawmakers can hear even more gun-related legislation all on the same day.

None of the bills come from Gov. Bill Haslam. The Knoxville Republican told reporters Tuesday he's noticed a couple "big" guns bills this year, though — a proposal related to storing guns in parked cars and another allowing for guns in parks.

"We're actually having some discussions now. We have not come down with a final position on what we're going to do," Haslam said.

In the past Haslam has opposed the guns-in-parks bill, which would prevent any level of government from placing restrictions on people carrying guns at state, county or municipal parks. On Tuesday he said he hasn't made up his mind on this year's guns-in-trunks bill either; several proposals would allow people to store guns in their cars, regardless of whether they've parked at a school, their job or elsewhere.

Other bills set for discussion soon include:

• A bill allowing someone to take a gun into a building that's used — as opposed to owned or operated — by a school or board of education. The proposal is related to a Williamson County official who was charged after bringing a gun to a county school board work session.

• Two bills related to making targets or weapons that explode legal.

• A proposal that allows employees to sue an employer if the employer takes any negative action related to that employee storing a weapon in his or her car.

• A plan to make the Barrett Model 82A1 sniper rifle , a gun made by a Murfreesboro-based company, the state gun of Tennessee.

The governor and the Republican supermajority in the legislature need to support these bills and generally do more to support gun rights, argued John Harris, executive director of the Tennessee Firearms Association.

"After five years of Republican absolute power and dominion, one must start to reflect on the promises and campaign assurances that were made and wonder why those in absolute power have not passed legislation to implement what so many of them said they believed or would do," Harris said in an emailed statement.

Specifically, Harris said the association wants a "constitutional carry" law to pass. That bill, sponsored by Rep. Rick Womick and Sen. Mae Beavers, would allow anyone who isn't expressly prohibited from carrying a weapon to do so without a permit. Harris notes a comment Haslam made in 2010 while running for governor the first time in which he said he'd sign such a bill if it were passed by the General Assembly.

In 2014 Haslam opposed a bill that would've allowed Tennesseans to carry handguns without a permit, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel. That particular bill isn't set for legislative debate yet, but a bill from Rep. Judd Matheny that would allow gun permit holders to take their guns anywhere off-duty law enforcement officers can take their guns is set for discussion soon.

Any proposal that could lead to more accidental or intentional shooting deaths is not a good idea, argued Beth Joslin Roth, policy director for the Safe Tennessee Project. The project is "dedicated to addressing the epidemic of gun violences" and opposes the bills that would lift restrictions on where or when people can tote guns.

"We understand that gun-related accidents happen. We just want to minimize the chance that they're happening in public places, especially places where children play and learn, such as parks, playgrounds, and school campuses," Roth said in an emailed statement.

The project and the association probably will be joined by opponents and supporters in advocating at the General Assembly when the bills come up next week. Most of the bills probably will come up for discussion in either the House Civil Justice subcommittee or the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Reach Dave Boucher at 615-259-8892 and on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.