Handgun Carriers In Tennessee Could Get Lifetime Permits

Tennessee’s half-million handgun permit holders might soon have the option of carrying for life.

The proposal was one of a few gun bills Tennessee lawmakers advanced Wednesday.

​Rep. John Holsclaw (R-Elizabethton) says lifetime gun permits would be more convenient. Instead of spending $115 on a permit that expires after five years, they could pay $750 and get one that’s good for life.

“I know you get busy like I do sometimes. You get this stuff and set it aside. I’d rather pay the money and have a lifetime (permit) and not have to worry about it again.”

The Department of Safety would still run criminal background checks on holders every five years. But instead of waiting for renewals, law enforcement would run the checks on their own. Gun owners would have 30 days to turn over their permits if they’re convicted of a felony.

Rep. Sherry Jones (D-Nashville) objected that the plan might not keep people who have developed a mental illness from renewing. But Holsclaw pointed out, so might the law now.

In other gun news, lawmakers moved along a plan to end bans on guns in local parks, a measure sought by the NRA. And they’re exploring whether to resurrect a plan to let gun owners carry in off-campus stadiums and other venues used by school clubs or teams.

But they did kill off one gun bill. Lawmakers rejected a proposal to let gun owners keep their weapons in their trunks while on school property.