Judiciary Committee Approves Bill To Allow Guns on Government Property

A bill to allow people with handgun carry permits to have their weapons on government property passed the House Judiciary Committee today.

Originally, the bill would have allowed handgun carriers – who have to pass a strict training course – to take their weapons with them into state parks. But in a move which may have backfired, the committee’s chair, Rob Briley of Nashville, proposed an amendment that removed restrictions on carrying a weapon on state-owned property.

Briley said he wanted to promote a discussion on where guns could be carried, rather than whittling away at the restrictions year by year. The full House Judiciary Committee had more than an hour of such discussion today.

On a six to three vote, the committee added Briley’s amendment, though he voted against it. Then the committee approved the full bill on a six to four vote, with Representative Briley again voting against it.

Bill Sponsor Frank Niceley says he will move the bill, as amended, without trying to reinsert some of the previous restrictions.

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The bill is HB 2184 Niceley/SB 2143 Burchett. In the Senate the bill has never been put on notice in the Senate Judiciary Committee.