Tennessee Legislature moving to allow 18-year olds to conceal carry firearms

A bill that would allow those 18 years old and older to concealed carry and obtain a permit in Tennessee now has different versions moving through the Senate and House.

House Bill 1005 lowers the age of permits to 18 and changes the term handgun to firearm in Tennessee code. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Chris Todd, R-Madison County, is aimed at matching a court agreement between the Firearms Policy Coalition and Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti following FPC’s lawsuit against Tennessee’s current law, which restricts through between ages 18 and 21 from receiving permits.

That court agreement was approved by a judge in mid-March.

Senate Bill 1503 had an amendment added this week from Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis, in the Senate Judiciary Committee that will prevent long guns from being openly carried.

Senate sponsor John Stevens, R-Huntingdon, said the legislation is also aimed at being in line with the United States Supreme Court ruling in New York State Rifle v. Bruen.

“In Bruen, the Court was clear that the constitutional right to bear arms is a right that pre-exists our nation,” Stevens said. “The right of self-defense is not a right granted by government. It was given to us by our Creator. The Founders preserved that right in the Second Amendment.”

Tennessee’s Department of Safety and Homeland Security has previously opposed portions of the bill, including when the House passed a bill last year to low the permit and carry age to 18 and it was not passed by the Senate.

But Elizabeth Stroecker, Director of Legislation for the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said the department did not oppose the legislation if the amendment was added.

The bill was approved and will next be heard by the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee. In the House, its version of the bill was put on a special Driver’s License Calendar in the Finance, Ways and Means Committee.

If competing bills pass in the different bodies and agreement cannot be reached, a conference committee will be created on the matter.