HB3125

[TNReb]

Per the TFALAC alert, I have sent the following email to all members of the House Judiciary Committee. I did personalize the one to the chairman, Kent Coleman, since I do know him personally.

Dear Rep. (Name):

I want to write early and let you know that I would certainly appreciate your vote for HB3125 dealing with the rights of handgun permit holders to carry in restaurants that serve alcohol. I know that this effort has been mischaracterized by the media and the hospitality industry as being an issue about “mixing guns and alcohol.” I submit that nothing could be farther from the truth.

This law does not deal with criminals—it deals with the rights of law-abiding citizens. My son Scott Perkins owns the City Cafe in Murfreesboro, TN, and my other son, Drew, works there. All three of us are licensed permit holders, and anytime any or all of the three of us are there, we are armed. We have all gone through the process and expense of getting a carry permit and, since we are law-abiding citizens, we did follow and continue to follow the law in regard to the tremendous responsibility of carrying a weapon. I submit that we, along with the hundreds of thousands of law-abiding citizens who, like us, have demonstrated their desire to follow the law and continue to do so deserve the right to protect ourselves and our loved ones, together even with others who may be victimized by criminals. Your vote for this bill will allow us to do this.

I know that many will try to tell you otherwise, but I believe this bill is a good one which should take care of the concerns of all sides with any fair assessment of it. Permit holders who follow the law will not be able to consume one drop of alcohol or they will face criminal penalties and loss of their right to carry. Any property owner or business owner who does not want weapons in his facility will be able to keep them out by a simple posting of notice not to bring your weapon in. Again, permit holders who follow the law will face criminal penalties and loss of their right to carry if they disregard the property or business owner’s right to post their property or business. As to liability issues—a subject of concern to me as a property owner, attorney and permit holder—I would submit that this is a straw-man argument used in desperation by those who would seek to deny our rights. If anyone carries illegally, whether they be a criminal or a permit holder not in compliance with the law—there is nothing which would prevent someone from filing suit against the owner. For example, since my wife and I own the building which houses the City Cafe, if someone comes in to rob the place and a person is injured in that attempt or in the process of trying to prevent the attempt, that person can still sue my wife and me as the property owners and let the courts decide if we have any liability. Allowing permit holders to carry will not increase or decrease potential liability in any way. The only reason, I submit, that anyone with the hospitality industry wants to defeat our efforts is so that they will not have to tell us they want to deny our rights. They simply want you to do the dirty work for them so that they do not have to suffer potential loss of business from permit holders. In other words, they don’t have the courage of their convictions and want to be able to say, in effect, that the legislature is responsible for this—not me. As part of the hospitality industry, I can tell you I do not stand with them, and I challenge them to prove one instance in the entire United States where potential business was lost because some business or group said we are not coming to your state since you allow handguns to be carried in restaurants where liquor is served. Just as they cannot cite any incidents involving lawful permit holders, I believe they will come up empty in this area also.

As I said before, the law behind this bill has nothing to do with “guns in bars” or “mixing guns and alcohol.” Those who don’t care about the law, i.e. criminals, are going to ignore anything that may pass. However, those who do care about the law, i.e. permit holders, are going to either continue to follow it, and leave themselves, their loved ones or other law-abiding potential victims of crime vulnerable to the criminals, or turn themselves into law-breakers by carrying in prohibited places when they decide that the protection of themselves and others is more important than following the letter of the law, if this bill does not pass. Please don’t put us in this position. This is not about vague concepts or perceptions—this is personal. A vote against this bill tells me that you do not trust me, personally, to do the right thing. By denying any responsible permit holder the right—not privilege—to carry you are denying me, my sons, and others like us, the right—not privilege—to protect ourselves, others and, potentially, you, from those who don’t care about what you do with this bill. Please think about us when called upon to vote on this bill, and vote to do what is right by us. Vote yes, please, to pass this bill to the full House for a vote, and also please vote yes there to pass the bill and send it to the governor.

Sincerely,



This is the bill which passed the Subcommittee yesterday and was sent to the full committee. The NRA-ILA alert below has all the addresses for the members:

Restaurant Carry Reform Measure Takes a Step Forward
Please Contact the Members of the House Judiciary Committee Today!
On Wednesday, March 10 the House Judiciary Criminal Practice Sub-Committee passed House Bill 3125 by a vote of 4-2. This legislation will now be heard by the House Judiciary Committee.

HB3125, with an NRA-backed amendment, would enable a person who has a valid Right-to-Carry permit to carry a firearm into restaurants where alcohol may be served, as long as the permit holder is not consuming alcohol or is not otherwise prohibited by posting provisions. HB3125, introduced by State Representative Curry Todd (R-95), was filed in response to Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman’s ruling last November. The current law was ruled as being unconstitutionally vague because of a perceived ambiguity over the state’s definition of restaurants. This bill, with the NRA-backed amendment, will fix any ambiguity.

NRA-ILA would like to thank the of the members of the House Judiciary Criminal Practice Sub-Committee for their hard work on HB3125.

Please contact members of the House Judiciary Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to support HB3125. Contact information for the committee can be found below.


State Representative Kent Coleman (D-49), Chair
Phone: (615) 741-6829
Email: rep.kent.coleman@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Jon Lundberg (R-1), Vice Chair
Phone: (615) 741-7623
Email: rep.jon.lundberg@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Janis Sontany (D-53), Secretary
Phone: (615) 741-6861
Email: rep.janis.sontany@capitol.tn.gov
*VOTED NO IN SUBCOMMITTEE*

State Representative Eddie Bass (D-65)
Phone: (615) 741-1864
Email: rep.eddie.bass@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Karen Camper (D-87)
Phone: (615) 741-1898
Email: rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov
*VOTED NO IN SUBCOMMITTEE*

State Representative Jim Coley (R-97)
Phone: (615) 741-8201
Email: rep.jim.coley@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Vance Dennis (R-71)
Phone: (615) 741-2190
Email: rep.vance.dennis@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Henry Fincher (D-42)
Phone: (615) 741-
Email: rep.henry.fincher@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Judd Matheny (R-47)
Phone: (615) 741-7448
Email: rep.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Barrett Rich (R-94)
Phone: (615) 741-6890
Email: rep.barrett.rich@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Mike Stewart (D-52)
Phone: (615) 741-2184
Email: rep.mike.stewart@capitol.tn.gov

State Representative Eric Watson (R-22)
Phone: (615) 741-7799
Email: rep.eric.watson@capitol.tn.gov


Please feel free to use any or all of my email to craft your own and send it to all the committee members. We need to do this right away since the other side will be after them and they have the state-controlled media in their pocket.

[tnxdshooter]

Great job man.


I sent them one as well although mine was not quiet as long.

[TNReb]

[tnxdshooter]

Nah I couldn't tell at all.

[Butch Butler]

We need as many e-mails,phone calls,and letters as we can get.The e-mail above is a very good one and should get their attention.I live in a small town in The Northwest corner and an article from the AP was in the paper today.As Permit Holders we must make our voice loud and clear because the few that are not for this Bill will spare no expense to stop it.
Butch Butler

[TNReb]

This is a reply I received this afternoon shortly after I sent my email from Rep. Fincher:

Dear Mr. Perkins,

Thank you for contacting me. I am a co-sponsor of this bill, and will vote for it. As a HCP holder and certified pistol instructor, I understand the sensibility of allowing HCP holders to carry in restaurants as long as they aren't drinking alcohol.

Thanks so much for all you do!

Sincerely yours,

Hank Fincher

What a great guy! Please let him know you appreciate him.

[tnxdshooter]

[TNReb]

This bill is now on the calendar for the Judiciary Committee for next Tuesday, March 16th. Call, write and/or email the committee members right away, please!

[tnxdshooter]

[johnharris]

[SomeGuy]

What about the Senate? We have the House ball rolling, but it appears the Senate version is languishing.

[tnxdshooter]

[C. Richard Archie]

It is my understanding that the Senate wanted to see what came out of the House, and if it appeared to be a "good" Bill, they will concur.

[tnxdshooter]

I hope they concur pretty dang quick.

[johnharris]

[C. Richard Archie]

That is excellent news. It would seem that our supporters in the Legislature are are truly seeking to correct the inadequacies of the prior version and to provide a sound basis for the ability of the HCP holder to provide for their own defense as should be.

It is necessary that we provide support to their efforts and contact the House Judiciary Committee members to let them know we are in favor of this endeavor on our behalf.

[johnharris]

[tnxdshooter]

[TNReb]

[tnxdshooter]

Yes,


I have contacted them.