Haslam-gun owners should be able to keep weapons cars

[Tim Nunan]

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... -position/

By Richard Locker
Posted October 26, 2010 at midnight
SPRINGFIELD, Tenn. -- Gun issues continued to dominate the race for governor as the campaign entered its last full week Monday.

Speaking to reporters at a campaign stop here, Republican Bill Haslam appeared to have changed his position on an issue that has pitted Tennessee's biggest employers against gun-rights activists: employers' right to ban employees from bringing guns onto their property.

When asked his views, Haslam said "the employers should have the decision about what happens in, on their property."

Later Monday, the Haslam camp said the candidate misheard reporters' questions and still favors giving handgun-carry permit holders a right to keep guns in their locked vehicles at work regardless of their employer's policies. That's consistent with a stand he took early this year in a gun-issue survey by Tennessee newspapers.

Democrat Mike McWherter, campaigning south of Nashville, continued attacking his opponent on the issue and said it raises questions about his leadership.

"I can't keep track of where he is on any of these issues nowadays," he said. "... He's flip-flopped on so many different positions, I don't know where he is and I don't think the voters of Tennessee know where he is either."

Last week, Haslam told the Tennessee Firearms Association he would sign into law -- if the legislature passed it -- a bill abolishing the state's handgun-carry permit system.

Discussing related gun issues Monday, Haslam was asked about his views on other gun-law changes that some activists have proposed, including allowing handgun-permit holders to take their guns onto employers' parking lots whether the employer allows them or not, including school employees.

"My position has always been, whoever is in charge of that -- it's like a bar, the bar owner should be able to decide what happens there," Haslam said. "The schools -- the local school boards should be able to decide. Whoever has control over that property should be able to decide what happens there."

Question: "But currently, it's a state ban on guns in public schools. So you want to do away with the state ban?"

Haslam: "No, I wouldn't. I would not touch that ban on any kind of handguns in schools."

Question: "And employers?"

Haslam: "Again, the employers should have the decision about what happens in, on their property."

But later Monday, Haslam campaign spokesman David Smith said the candidate misheard the question.

"His position is the same as it's always been," he said. "He misheard your question and answered regarding whether employers should have the ability to decide whether they allow weapons to be carried on the person or inside private buildings. Regarding parking lots, he continues to believe that legal carriers should be able to keep their weapon locked up inside their car."

That's consistent with the response Haslam gave last January in a Tennessee Newspaper Network survey on gun issues.

McWherter said Monday that his position is that the employer should retain the right to set policy on his property. As a hunter, he said he thinks it's in their best interests to give employees the "convenience" of leaving guns in their locked vehicles.

[GuardianDevil001]

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