Legislation that would Remove Handgun Carry Permits in Tennessee Moves Forward

Governor Bill Lee announced Thursday morning legislation that would remove handgun carry permits in Tennessee.
If passed, the Constitutional Carry law would allow anyone 21 and over to carry a handgun, with or without a permit.
The governor’s legislation would extend the constitutional right to carry a handgun to all law-abiding citizens with or without a permit who are 21 and older, except in current restricted areas.
The legislation also includes several increased penalties for firearm-related crime to promote public safety including:
• Increasing the penalty for theft of a firearm to a felony
• Providing a sentencing enhancement for theft of a firearm in a car
• Increasing the minimum sentence for theft of a firearm from 30 days to 180 days
• Increasing the sentences for unlawful possession of a firearm by violent felons and felony drug offenders, possession of a handgun by a felon, and unlawfully providing a handgun to a juvenile or allowing a juvenile to possess a handgun
The governor said 16 other states have a similar law.