GOP Leaders Reverse Course And Decide To Keep Gun Ban At Tennessee Capitol

Tennessee lawmakers will not be allowing guns in their offices, after all.

The reversal was announced Wednesday afternoon, after legislative leaders couldn’t agree on how and when to lift the ban.

Spokespeople for Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey and House Speaker Beth Harwell said the two leaders reached the decision after meeting with the Tennessee Highway Patrol to discuss security in the Capitol complex if guns were allowed.

Both leaders say they favor letting people with handgun permits carry in Legislative Plaza and the War Memorial Building, where lawmakers have their offices and hold hearings. The question was how to do so while also keeping guns out of the state Capitol, which they say falls under the jurisdiction of Gov. Bill Haslam.

Ramsey has said he wants to lift the gun ban immediately.

But Harwell, in turned out, favored waiting, because the legislature may soon be moving to the Cordell Hull Building, another office block close to the Capitol. Her spokeswoman said tax money would be better spent on that project — not modifying the security checkpoints in Legislative Plaza.

The decision is a relief to many Democrats, who opposed lifting the ban. House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh says keeping it would be a dose of sanity.

“You know, I hope this gun frenzy does calm down a little bit, and we can get on with the business of the state.”

Fitzhugh says the Capitol and legislative offices are safe enough without ordinary citizens being armed.

Gov. Bill Haslam has expressed strong opposition to the proposal. Earlier Wednesday, he defended the policy of keeping guns out of the Capitol and legislative buildings, saying they’re already secure.

“You have got to come through metal detectors. You got troopers there with guns,” he said. “This is not a gun-free zone. It’s a very protected zone.”