Tennessee governor Phil Bredesen, who apparently doesn't like living in the governor's mansion, vetoed the "Guns In Restaurants" bill. The bill allowed Tennesseans who have completed a training course that includes legal instruction and marksmanship qualification, as well as passed an FBI background check, to carry their sidearms in restaurants that served alcohol, as long as they promised not to drink.
The veto was overridden by the TN state legislature approximately 27 seconds later, leaving Phil a sad, and very lame-duck, panda.
Now Tennesseans can look forward to the same kind of blood-soaked carnage I have to face every time I go to the Broad Ripple Brew Pub. Which is to say "none at all". (And Indiana doesn't even care if you tip back a few wet ones while you're packing, so long as you don't go ventilating passersby with your hogleg.)
Living in the Great White North as you now do, it has probably escaped your attention that Phil B. is term-limited. It was pretty obvious by his veto remarks that he hadn't read the legislation. Strangely, in all my years of eating /drinking / packing in Tennersee, I don't recall anyone being busted for packing at Applebee's. Let's see how fast these restaurants get their "No Gunz" signs up.
ReplyDeleteNow, if we can just get them to stop publishing the names of permit holders...
Yeah, baby. Here's to common-sense laws.
ReplyDeleteIndiana really does have great carry laws, don't we?
ReplyDeleteThe downside to IN gun law: You need to have a toter's permit to do much of anything with a pistol.
ReplyDeleteThe upside to IN gun law: Toter's permits are available in boxes of Cheerios, and they let you carry, open or concealed, pretty much anywhere when you have one.
I'm glad Florida is mostly common-sense about guns in restaurants. We can carry and drink (not in excess of course) in establishments that serve alcohol. However, in the Sunshine State, there is a magical mind-altering border installed around all areas whose "primary purpose" is serving alcohol (i.e. the bar) which causes anyone crossing the boundary to go insane and start blasting nuns and puppies.
ReplyDeleteAt least, that's how I interpret the law.
Thanks for mentioning your opinion (if I read it right) that a beer or glass of wine while carrying won't cause the world to end.
ReplyDeleteMN is too strict on this one I think. If you can drive a car after drinking, the same level of "impairment" seems reasonable for carry. At least to me.
Now hopefully this doesn't devolve into a screaming match. This feels like it could be a touchy one with the uninitiated.
Well, more importantly, Indiana seems to recognize that shooting somebody is illegal, whether done with or without a CCW permit, drunk or sober, in a bar or in a car.
ReplyDeleteIt does make me proud to be a native Hoosier, but it makes me a little nervous to carry out of state. I fear I'll do something without thinking that's perfectly legal in Indiana (like having a beer with dinner) but illegal where I'm visiting.
ReplyDeleteThe refusal to give credence to historical fact on the part of the anti-tote crowd is astounding. No matter how often they're wrong about "There will be blood in the gutters!" they continue the mantra.
ReplyDeleteOur local environmental guru lady up in Alpine got all exercised about CHLs in national parks. Texas state cops have publicly announced that CHL people are the most law abiding of all identifiable groups.
The Alpine paper published my letter wherein I queried as to the particulates in the air of national parks which would magically transform this group into ravening beasts. Possibly folks should avoid such hazards as they consider their vacation itineraries...
Art
I looked in the Boise paper to see how bad the carnage was in Tenn since those bozos overrode the veto... nada. They're too busy reporting on all the HS kids sending dirty pics on their cellphones. So, you'll have to keep me up to date on the REAL important stuff, all the bloodshed at the Ripple Saloon.
ReplyDeleteWell stated, Tam. We are working on the same in Ohio. A battle royale, but one worth fighting for all in the Buckeye State. Thanks for your great observation!
ReplyDeleteHere in Washington AC we occasionally get taunted by our neighbors to the south in Orygun because they can carry legally in a bar, but (like FL)we are restricted to the non-bar area of restaurants. OTOH, WA will issue a WA carry permit to anyone, but OR has shall-issue for residents, but may-issues for non-residents, and "may" is usually defined as "not on your life."
ReplyDeleteOOoh, look, Insty blogs Tam: http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/79578/
D.W. Drang,
ReplyDeleteYou'll be happy to know that IN recognizes your toter's permit, as well as any toter's permit issued by any other state or foreign country. :)
I don't care how fast the restaurants get their No Gunz signs up; unless they are going to put up metal detectors and frisk all their customers, concealed will continue to mean "You can't see it unless I need it..."
ReplyDeleteOTOH, WA will issue a WA carry permit to anyone, but OR has shall-issue for residents, but may-issues for non-residents, and "may" is usually defined as "not on your life."
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's one of the main reasons I don't have a CCP yet. I'm a Nevada resident going to college in Oregon. Neither recognizes each other's CCP, and I spend most of my time in Oregon, so I haven't bothered to get one in Nevada.
Oh yeah, I loved it when I first read in Indiana's carry law that foreign countries' carry permits are recognized here. What foreign country issues carry permits?
ReplyDelete