NASHVILLE — A bill to allow handgun carry permit holders to store loaded firearms in their vehicles no matter where they are parked has cleared its final legislative committee before a full House vote.
The House Civil Justice Committee advanced the measure on a voice vote on Wednesday after supporters stressed that the measure would not stop employers from banning weapons on their property but would simply remove their ability to call for criminal charges against violators.
Republican Rep. Jeremy Faison of Cosby said his bill would also not apply to areas like airports, railroads or secure facilities governed by federal law.
The Senate approved its version 28-5 earlier this month as GOP leaders have sought to avoid a repeat of last year's drawn-out fight between gun advocates and the business community.
Read the complete article at knoxnews.com
masonjar writes:
February 20, 2013
6:41 PM
I have been a permit holder for many years and I strongly support being able to take my weapons any where any time. However, this law does nothing to help employees of businesses that still don't want guns on their properties. The fact that an employer can make a rule stating that employees can't store their firearms in their vehicles means those employees are completely volnurable to and from work. How many of you husbands and fathers out there want your wife and daughter to be able to protect themselves as they drive alone to and from work, often in the darkness of morning or night? I think this is a violation of the 2nd amendment. This law should allow guns on any business property, if properly stored in the vehicle, or it is just another law that does little for law abiding citizens. I know my opinion means nothing to Mr. Ramsey, but put some meat on the bones of this law, please. Our female family members are still at risk when they drive to work at these places and that ain't right!
MountainBoomer writes:
February 20, 2013
7:12 PM
with all the pillheads and just plain no-good trash that would rather steal than work around here i think were gonna see a lot more cars broken into now
once folks start gettin there guns stolen left and right might be a differnt sitchuatin
blue56ford writes:
February 20, 2013
9:43 PM
As a business owner and property owner I should have the right to say what can and can't be brought on my property. A employee gets mad at another employee, gets his/her gun thats real handy in his/her car goes back in the business and shoots someone. Who gets sued? Yep the business owner because he didn't provide a safe work place. Doesn't sound fair to me that this business owner may lose his business because a few people feel they need to carry a gun. I own hunting guns, but in all my 68 years I never felt like I need to carry one on me.
wintroub writes:
February 22, 2013
10:10 AM
blue56ford writes:
"A employee gets mad at another employee, gets his/her gun thats real handy in his/her car goes back in the business and shoots someone. Who gets sued? Yep the business owner because he didn't provide a safe work place."
Let's say this law is never enacted. You have a policy and signage saying "No firearms allowed on this property". "A" employee, in violation of existing law, keeps a gun real handy in his car, gets mad at another employee and shoots him. Who gets sued? THE BUSINESS OWNER still didn't provide a safe work place. All you've done is publish a policy and put up some signs.
Unless you have someone _inspecting_ every employee and car and monitoring every car in your parking lot, you cannot prevent someone from keeping a gun in his car, retrieving it, and shooting someone in your place of business.
A law that holds you, the business owner, responsible for the illegal acts of people on your property is a stupid law that cries out for repeal. There maybe should be exceptions for gross negligence by the employer. Say, for instance, that you have an employee who REPEATEDLY assaults/threatens his fellows but you keep on employing him until finally he shoots up the place.