HB 2016 as Amended advances out of Judiciary sub-committee

[C. Richard Archie]

Rep. Andy Holt's Bill 2016, which authorizes full-time faculty at a public college to carry a firearm on such campus if they have a handgun carry permit, and amended at the request of Rep. Eddie Bass to add a requirement for an additional 2 hour training session and requires the Staff person to keep the weapon on their person, not stored in campus, approved in sub-committee and sent to full committee.

Buddy Peaster, Chief of Police of MTSU speaking for the TN Association of Chiefs of Police and University Campus Chiefs of Police, believes that allowing HCP carry will make "things worse for us" by allowing HCP carry by full time staff. He believes "Just on the qualifications of being able to carry in this state, it does not to me appear to be a good threshold by which to measure whether someone should be allowed to carry on the premises of a College or University." He also states under questioning by Rep. Barret Rich, that his suggestion for redress of assault or rape is to try and "escape" to paraphrase his response.

Do I misunderstand that an Officer in uniform, apparently in the official performance of their duty as a tax payer paid employee, if they attempt to affect the outcome of a political issue, and that they are not a direct legislator responsible for the issue, might be committing Official Oppression?

Re. Barret Rich stood firm in favor of the Bill with his line of questioning. Rep. Holt did a good job of laying out his points, and deserves our thanks.

At 22:08 for video.