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House Votes To Name Gun Tennessee’s ‘Official Rifle’

Resolution honors the Barrett M82 sniper rifle. Credit: Christian Schirner via Flickr
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In one of the final acts of the year, the state House of Representatives approved a resolution designating the Barrett M82 the “official rifle of the state of Tennessee.”

House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to honor the sniper rifle, which is made in Tennessee. One of the opponents was Rep. Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis).

“This really concerns me when we start endorsing brands,” he said. “If we start endorsing one brand over another brand, I think that’s counter to us being a business-friendly state.”

After the vote, Parkinson introduced resolutions naming Memphis-based FedEx as the official carrier of the state of Tennessee and AutoZone as the official auto parts supplier. He said he’ll ask lawmakers to vote on those suggestions next year.

The Senate did not take up the sniper rifle resolution, HJR 231.

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Chas Sisk, Senior Editor

Chas joined WPLN in 2015 and became an editor in 2018. Previously, he covered state politics for Nashville Public Radio and The Tennessean, and he’s also reported on communities, politics and business for a variety of publications in Massachusetts, New York and Washington, D.C. Chas grew up in South Carolina and attended Columbia University, where he studied economics and journalism.

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