MEMPHIS, Tenn. - A bill working its way through the Tennessee legislature would allow police officers in Tennessee to carry weapons while under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances.
The bill is sponsored by Republican senator Joey Hensley of Hohenwald, Tennessee.
As introduced, the bill would also allow for guns to be brought into parks and college campuses.
But, the bill would prohibit anyone, including people permitted to carry firearms under federal law, from carrying weapons on elementary, middle and high school campuses, expect by what the bill simply identified as “certain persons”.
Maybe this is just the extreme example of if liberals think it’s a bad idea, Republicans are for it???
In Tennessee you don’t have to be intoxicated to get charged, consuming any alcohol while armed is prohibited, even taking prescription medication while armed can get you arrested…
The bill summary includes a description that it allows law enforcement officers to “carry a firearm when under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances.” Hensley (bill sponsor), however, said an amendment to the bill makes it clear that is not allowed.
Then your state sucks as much as mine. Every citizen should be able to responsibly have a glass of wine or beer with dinner and still be able to effectively defend themselves and others, cop or not.
I get your shock if you are mad that it is an LE exemption, but certainly not if you think people can’t have a drink and responsibly carry.
For a long time in TN peons carrying anywhere that sold alcohol was illegal. Can’t recall if it was assumed based on wording of law(s) or an AG opinion, but a TN carry group used to advise that included any business selling cough syrup that contained alcohol.
You don’t lose any other rights if you drink alcohol, why should you lose your 2A rights. There is not historical tradition in 1791 for banning firearms in bars.
Call me crazy but I figure that if I am lawfully carrying then I should be allowed to carry anywhere that I am lawfully allowed to be. Can I go into a bar and have a few drinks without a firearm? Well then…
I don’t even agree with the idea that a place that is open to the public can prohibit lawful carry. I mean can they exclude the handicapped if they “disagee” with ADA? I mean folks are all hot that you have to “serve and accommodate everyone” right?
True. Tennessee passed so-called Guns in Bars over a decade ago, allowing folks to carry guns in bars and establishments that serve. At the time there were lots of folks, including many gun owners, that freaked out, predicting drunken brawl shootouts and all the rest. Yawn… we’re doing just fine.
Tennessee has come a long way since the dark days of May Issue, and continues on a pro-gun trajectory.
Anti-2A types refuse to accept the fact that an armed society is a more polite society. Just imagine how less offended they’d be if duels became a thing again.
I agree. I understand property rights, but since the 60-70s we have said that if you are open to public accommodation, you have to take all comers. That was part of the civil rights legacy. Now maybe you could say something about open carry, but concealed carry; nope. These anti gunners really seem to think that guns kill people, and all gun owners are mass shooters. Kind of reminds me of lefties overestimating by over an order of magnitude the danger posed by COVID. And they don’t let facts get in the way of them being scared…
