NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A new bill filed in the Tennessee General Assembly will allow for more people to carry guns onto school campuses.
Sen. Joey Hensley (R—Hohenwald) introduced the bill this week. SB0827 would amend certain provisions of state law prohibiting any firearms from being carried on school campuses or in public parks, instead opting for more narrowly tailored language prohibiting firearms “inside a school” building that offers kindergarten through 12th grade instruction.
The bill would allow any adult who is legally permitted to carry a firearm to bring that gun onto any public school property, including elementary, middle and high school grounds, events on school campuses and all public colleges and universities.
“It is not an offense under this subsection (c) for a nonstudent adult to possess a firearm, if the firearm is contained within a private vehicle operated by the adult and is not handled by the adults, or by any other person acting with the expressed or implied consent of the adult, while the vehicle is on school property.”
Senate Bill 0827 by Sen. Joey Hensley
The language currently in state law says firearms are prohibited to be brought onto the “campus” of any school – including college campuses.
The prohibition would not apply to law enforcement officers, military personnel “when in discharge of their official duties” and private police or security officers, among others, according to the bill.
Further, the prohibition would not apply to “universities, college campuses, and other public or private non-K-12 educational institutions or property.”
If passed, the bill would take effect this July.
While the bill has been filed, it does not currently have any destination for subcommittee, though that could change in the coming days.
