MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Finally, there is some sensibleness in the Tennessee legislature over the issue of expanding gun rights.
This week, a state Senate committee put the kibosh on a couple of pro-gun bills, including one that would have lowered the age for carrying a gun without a permit to 18. The other piece of legislation would have allowed people to go armed in any park, playground, civic center or recreational facility – despite local rules outlawing guns in those places.
After lawmakers passed the permitless carry bill last year for those 21 and older – and Governor Bill Lee happily signed it – the belief was that the legislature would continue pushing for even more relaxed gun laws this year.
But a remarkable thing happened on the way to passing more outrageous bills. Lieutenant Governor and senate speaker Randy McNally said the legislature had done enough, and he was in no mood to deregulate guns any further. That was all the senate committee needed to derail these latest bills, which cannot come to a vote this session.
And for once, I agree with McNally. The legislature has done enough on guns. In fact, it has done too much. Police and prosecutors across the state strongly objected to the permitless carry bill last year, but they were ignored. This time, reasonableness prevailed, and you won’t see 18-year-olds walking around with guns – at least, not legally.