Push to relax gun law divides state lawmakers

NASHVILLE - For almost an hour during a House committee meeting about two weeks ago, legislators, law enforcement officials and advocates on both sides of the gun rights issue debated a hypothetical situation that could play out anywhere in Tennessee.

The scenario goes something like this: A Tennessean with no handgun carry permit, of any description, walks into a fast-food restaurant with a gun on their hip, in a jacket or purse. A customer in the store, uncomfortable with the gun being around, calls the police.

In the scenario, the person’s only transgression is failing to have a permit for which he or she would be eligible. Yet, under current law, the action could yield a Class A misdemeanor, a $500 fine and up to a year in jail.

Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, and other lawmakers say that’s far too punitive for “law-abiding citizens” who were not doing anything else wrong other than being a bit absentminded.

“What I’m trying is get us closer to constitutional carry, and I feel like it’s a good answer if we’re not going to be able to freely carry a gun,” Faison said.

The issue of constitutional carry — the idea that basically anyone