Guns in bars law struck down in Tennessee
Published: November 20, 2009
A Nashville judge has ruled a law that allows handguns in Tennessee bars and restaurants is unconstitutional.
Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman ruled Friday that the law, enacted earlier this year over the veto of Gov. Phil Bredesen, is “fraught with ambiguity.“
She ruled in a suit brought by a group of Tennesseans, many of them restaurant owners. The law allowed handgun permit holders to take their weapons into places serving alcohol, providing the establishment makes more than 50 percent of its profits from food.
There was no immediate word from attorneys for the state about an appeal.
The measure took effect July 14. Thirty-seven states had similar legislation at the time.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
Here is a novel idea, why don’t all law biding citizens take their business else where. I am ashamed of the judges in this country that have no back bone or common sense.
This judges opinion was not totally unexpected, and may turn out to have a silver lining. Her finding is very specific, and actually has a relatively easy remedy in the legislature: a simple exemption for HCP holders to the current prohibition against carry in ALL places that serve alcohol. That renders her observation RE “vague and ambiguous” moot, and actually results in a greater range of places where carry is then allowed than with the current legislation. And with last minth’s loss of one TN House seat previously held by an anti-2nd Dem to a pro-2nd Republican, the supporting majority is larger, and even more veto-proof. Another remedy, perhaps even quicker to accomplish, is to appeal the matter beyond the chancery court. That likely places the appeal in the hands of judges who were NOT Bredesen appointees, and who do not have the well-documented disdain for the 2nd amendment as Ms. Bonnyman (and her husband). This latter option will, however, depend on our spineless Attorney General actually taking his job seriously and mounting a reasonable effort to do so…and given his latest string of opinions, that seems unlikely.
It will not stand..karma.ALL laws against guns are unconstitutional…just as the post above says SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED !!get educated people.
The legislature had sense enough to brind our 2nd admendment rights in line with the majority of the country.
Property owners have the option of “opting out”. If they want to exclude law abiding carry permit holders from thier establishments then they have that option.
This decsion will be overturned by a follow up appeal or additional legislation.
“.....the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.“
I guess I must get ready to use the keyboard some more.
An anti gun, anti, self protection judge would rule that was.
Communist exist everywhere even in judges.
Thank God someone in TN has some sense about them. I just hope this ruling stands!
Advertisement