Tennessee legislature passes permitless handgun carry bill, which now heads to Gov. Bill Lee – By Natalie Allison (Nashville Tennessean) / Mar 29 2021
The Tennessee General Assembly has approved Gov. Bill Lee’s legislation to allow most adults to carry handguns without obtaining a permit, a measure some Republicans sought for years to pass.
The permitless carry bill, which supporters have dubbed “constitutional carry,” passed the House of Representatives 64-29 on Monday night. Just five House Republicans voted against it. The bill was approved in the Senate on March 18 and can now be signed into law by the governor.
The law, which will take effect July 1, allows for both open and concealed carrying of handguns for people 21 and older without a permit as well as for military members ages 18 to 20. It does not apply to long guns, a point of contention among gun rights activists.
“This bill is not the end of the journey,” House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, said from the floor Monday evening, confirming an appetite remains in the GOP-con”This bill is not the end of the journey,” House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, said from the floor Monday evening, confirming an appetite remains in the GOP-controlled legislature to remove more gun restrictions in the future. “This is a massive step forward for freedom.”
