Parking Lot Bill - HB3141

[waynesan]

I know this bill was sent to "Summer Study". I was wondering if a date has been set for the study and will it it be video streamed? I can't find anything on the General Assemly website as far as a date is concerned?

[RobertNashville]

Unless I'm misunderstanding the bill you are asking about, this has been discussed at some length in other threads; to cut the the heard of the matter, it never left the starting line and nothing will (or can) happen until next session.

[Sky King]

It has been discussed. As for the summer study, it should be video streamed as all proceedings at the General Assembly are video streamed AND archived for viewing later.

Also the bill that was sponsored by Josh Evans last year went to summer study and that did not happen untill September. The best way to keep up with it is to maintain contact with the bill's sponsor. Also the summer study committee that will hear it will be the full committee that sent the bill to summer study. Contact the secretary of the member that chairs that committee and ask to be notified.

As for the future of the bill, I would say it is probably dead. I could be wrong here, and if I am, please somebody correct me. But the General Assembly sessions run in two 6 month segments. This summer ended this session which started in January 2009 and ran through June 2010. Bills that had no action in the spring 2009 portion of the session carry over to the spring of 2010. BUT when the SESSION officially ends, in this case June of 2010, bills that are left unfinished, die and have to be reintroduced.

Given that this is an election cycle also, it is hard to know which representatives will still be there and if so, which ones will be willing to run with a bill similiar to this.

Also, there is NO action taken on a bill in summer study. It is only a information gathering and fact finding session. There is no vote for or against the bill in summer study. However that does not mean that we shouldn't try to make our thoughts and feelings known to the committee members.

And lastly, unlike regular committee and sub-committee hearings where a member generally puts speakers on the list, the summer study does not require such action. All you have to do is tell the chairman's secretary that you want to be heard on a given bill and you will be on the list.

However in all fairness, after reading the laws and proposed laws of several other states, I really don't think the proposed bills in Tennessee are the best. I would love to have an opportunity to meet with some representatives to work out some details for a real workable law that would have the potential of not meeting with such heavy business opposition.

[waynesan]

Thanks Sky King, That's pretty much how I was fearing the thing would go down. You did a very good job of explaining how it all works. Thanks for taking the time to put it all down.

[Sky King]

We are still waiting for the Summer Study of the House Judiciary Committee. It is getting pretty late in the year and I have spoken with and emailed Dorris Barnes, Kent Coleman's secretary, several times regarging this matter. She assures me that there WILL be a Summer Study but Mr. Coleman has yet to schedule it. She also assures me that she has a "reminder" program on her computer that comes up every week with "things to do" for that week, and my name is on that list to be contacted as soon as the summer study is scheduled. I also monitor the Tennessee General Assembly web page committee calendars several times a week.

I am beginning to think that they my be waiting untill after the elections to see just who will still be there and who may be new. That is just my thought. In any case, for anybody who is interested, as soon as I find out when that will take place, I will post it here.

What we have to keep in mind is that all of those bill that were introduced these past two years are actually dead and will have to be reintroduced this January. That, however does NOT reduce the importance of speaking at the summer study. Even though the actual bills that are discussed in this study will not be there, there WILL be new bills introduced this January to accomplish the same goal.

At the last summer study I attended on Josh Evans' bill we were totally outnumbered by lobiests, and other business representatives. There were only two of us there who spoke in favor. We need to turn this around totally. What would be truely helpful is if there is anybody out there who either themselves or knows someone personally who has had an encounter during their commute to or from work and could not defend themselves because of their employers policy.

When the summer study is announced, there will probably be very little advance notice but I hope we can have a room full of people who support this legislation.

[Sky King]

Hopefully with a STRONG majority (64 to 32) in the House and a Governor who has INDICATED will be favorable to our issues, this session DEFINATELY needs to be the session to push this bill. Josh Evans bailed on us on his bill under pressure from the business lobby. Ben West and Doug Jackson had sponsored and co-sponsored respectfully a similiar bill but they are now both gone. I lost a good deal of confidence in Josh Evans last session so I don't know whether to approach him again or not on this bill.

I still have not heard anything concerning the Summer Study for this bill. I still believe they may have been waiting for the elections to see who would and would not be returning. Unfortunately, Janis Sontany and Karen Camper both are returning. If they retain their sub-comittee asignments, they will remain on the sub-committee/committee that hears most of our bills. Both are very anti-gun. Doug Jackson was on this committee but he was defeated so we lost one positive voice from this committee.

Folks, if you feel you should have a right to provide for your personal protection during your commute to and from work, you need to contact your representatives to sponsor or co-sponsor a bill for this. If you work for an employer who prohibits your keeping a firearm locked in your PERSONAL vehicle while at work, you need to contact your representative. TALK THIS UP at your chapter meetings. I am urging all of TFA to get behind this bill. Restaurant carry and parks carry are important. We got the restaurant bill. The big differance is, as much as I supported that bill, I could always choose a different restaurant. I don't know too many of us who can afford to just quit a job and look for an employer who agrees with us.

[C. Richard Archie]

If Beth Harwell is able to garner the Speakers position, we can forget the passage of ANY initiatives which involve firearms Rights in a positive way.

The new governor has intimated that the questions of economy and jobs far outweigh any issues related to gun rights, and it is his desire to leave well enough alone, so we can not count on that office to foster any change in our favor.

It is imperative that we get out in front of this Liberal take over attempt of the State House. We only have until Dec. 8 to affect the outcome of this race, which I contend is the most important of any of the contest of the year.

[Sky King]

[C. Richard Archie]

I don't know that she is a "Naifeh" Republican, but, I do know she is the only Republican Representative to back the present Governor on his veto of the Restaurant Carry Bill, and no regarding Parks Carry.

[Tim Nunan]