Tennessee just passed a $58.5 billion budget. Considered by many to be a “conservative,” “red,” Republican,” and especially “Constitution carry” state, Tennessee state gun laws have some unique features:
1) The Tennessee Constitution states, “That the citizens of this state have a right to keep and to bear arms for their common defense; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent crime.”
This violates the 2nd Amendment, not to mention logic. It’s a right that can be limited by the feelings of legislators? They can perform “interest balancing” despite the Supreme Court in the Bruen decision stating that was performed by the framers of the US Constitution and can’t be performed again by others?
2) Tennessee bans rifle carry like marvelous states such Illinois, New York, New Jersey, California, and Massachusetts which ban rifle carry:
3) Tennesse bans all carry – it’s illegal to “go armed with the intent to go armed” and then one has to identify and meet an exception among a long spread-out list of scenarios. One is presumptively guilty of a crime and faces being detained by bad police.
4) Tennessee bans carry in parks – permitless carry doesn’t apply in parks – those big, open, outdoor areas where there is little or usually zero armed protection from the same government that states it’s not responsible if you get hurt. This is not true Constitution carry at all!
On the good side, many gun laws in Tennessee are regularly unenforced. But all it takes is an oath-breaking tyrant in an unfriendly jurisdiction, and your rights are out the window and you’re in cuffs, jail, and then court.
Tennessee pretends to be very pro-gun, but still keeps spending lots of resources on enforcing gun control. They also refuse to update state law in accordance with the Constitution and the Heller and Bruen Supreme Court decisions. Instead, the politicians see benefit from giving-in to the redshirts. Redcoats and redshirts go together.
