Tenn. lawmakers can’t agree on guns bill drafted as NRA gift
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – It was supposed to be a welcoming gift from Tennessee lawmakers to the more than 70,000 people coming to the National Rifle Association’s annual convention in Nashville this weekend.
But the bill to allow people with handgun carry permits to be armed in all of the state’s parks has gotten tied up amid bickering between Republicans in the state House and Senate.
Originally enacted in 2009, the guns-in-parks law included an opt-out provision for city and county governments. More than 70 communities initially decided to keep their gun bans in place.
Opponents argue the law creates confusion for permit holders about where they can be armed, and a bill was introduced seeking to end the exemption as of the Monday before the NRA event.
