TN: GOA-Endorsed Constitutional Carry Bill Signed into Law!

Tennessee just became the 20th Constitutional Carry state!

Thanks to your help and persistence, Governor Lee signed SB 765 into law. This means, starting on July 1st, 21-year-old citizens of Tennessee will be able to conceal carry a handgun without having to beg the government for a permit.

Tennessee now joins the 19 other states that already recognized that Americans have the right to carry a gun for self-defense without first getting the government’s approval to exercise their constitutional rights.

While it is a good step in the right direction and better than what the law is today, this is NOT a perfect Constitutional Carry bill. It has a higher age limit than other states, doesn’t cover long guns, and doesn’t change any gun free zones. Governor Lee was strongly urging this weaker Constitutional Carry bill to move. However, according to the Tennessean, House Majority Leader William Lamberth was quoted saying, “This bill is not the end of the journey.”

GOA will continue to push for enhancements to Constitutional Carry and other pro-gun bills in Tennessee.

GOA believes it is important for you to know where your legislators stand, so according to the Tennessee Legislature Website, here is how your legislators voted:

HOUSE

The 64 State Representatives who voted AYE (Yes):

  • Alexander, Baum, Boyd, Bricken, Calfee, Campbell S, Carr, Carringer, Casada, Cepicky, Cochran, Crawford, Curcio, Darby, Doggett, Eldridge, Faison, Farmer, Gant, Garrett, Griffey, Grills, Halford, Hall, Haston, Hawk, Helton, Hicks G, Hicks T, Holsclaw, Howell, Hulsey, Hurt, Johnson C, Kumar, Lafferty, Lamberth, Leatherwood, Littleton, Lynn, Marsh, Moody, Moon, Powers, Ragan, Reedy, Rudd, Rudder, Russell, Sexton J, Sherrell, Smith, Sparks, Terry, Todd, Travis, Vaughan, Warner, Weaver, Williams, Windle, Wright, Zachary, and Mr. Speaker Sexton C.

The 29 State Representatives who voted No:

  • Beck, Camper, Chism, Clemmons, Cooper, Dixie, Freeman, Gillespie, Hakeem, Hardaway, Harris, Hazlewood, Hodges, Jernigan, Johnson G, Lamar, Love, Mannis, McKenzie, Miller, Mitchell, Parkinson, Potts, Powell, Shaw, Stewart, Thompson, White, and Whitson.

SENATE

The 23 State Senators who voted AYE (Yes):

  • Bailey, Bell, Bowling, Crowe, Gardenhire, Hensley, Jackson, Johnson, Lundberg, Niceley, Pody, Powers, Reeves, Roberts, Rose, Southerland, Stevens, Swann, Walley, Watson, White, Yager, and Mr. Speaker McNally.

The 9 State Senators who voted No:

  • Akbari, Briggs, Campbell, Gilmore, Kelsey, Kyle, Massey, Robinson, and Yarbro.

Please use our Legislator Lookup tool to find your State Representative and Senator and either “Thank or Spank” them accordingly by writing an email explaining how you feel about their vote!

Also, please use the form above to THANK Governor Bill Lee for signing permitless carry into law, and urge him to support enhancing it and getting it closer to pure Constitutional Carry!