Opposition to Permitless Carry Grows Ahead of Tennessee House Committee Hearing

Today, volunteers with the Tennessee chapter of Moms Demand Action will testify against HB 2817/SB 2671, permitless carry legislation, at a House Constitutional Protections Committee hearing at 4:30pm CST. Last week, 300 Moms Demand Action volunteers traveled to the Capitol to urge lawmakers to oppose this bill. 

In the week since Governor Lee announced support for permitless carry, stakeholders across the state have publicly opposed the legislation from all corners of the state: 

• In Knoxville, Mayor Indya Kincannon, Police Chief Eve Thomas, and Councilwoman Seema Singh have opposed the policy. 
• In Memphis, Police Director Michael Rallings, Mayor Jim Strickland, Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich, and the Memphis Crime Commission have urged lawmakers to reject permitless carry. 
• In Nashville, District Attorney Glenn Funk and Mayor John Cooper have spoken out against the bill. 
• Countless gun safety instructors from Memphis, Nashville and other corners of the state have also opposed the policy.  

Ninety-three percent of recent Tennessee voters support requiring a permit to carry a loaded handgun in public — including 92 percent of Republicans and 91 percent of gun-owning households. Sixty-five percent of recent voters would be less likely to vote for Gov. Lee if he signed legislation that would eliminate the requirement to get a permit in order to carry a loaded handgun in public.