Tennessee House Bill HB0312

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/22/25
• Refer: 2/3/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13, relative to firearms.

Summary

HB0312 creates a new criminal offense related to firearm storage when a child gains access to a gun and brings it onto school property. Under the bill, a person commits an offense if they recklessly store a firearm in a way that they know, or reasonably should know, would allow a child under 18 to access it, and that child then brings the firearm to a school in violation of existing law. The bill defines “school” broadly to include public and private schools, school buses, campuses, grounds, athletic fields, recreation areas, and other property used by educational institutions. The measure is aimed at preventing unauthorized access to firearms by minors and reducing the risk of guns being brought into schools. It would take effect July 1, 2025, and would add a new provision to Tennessee’s criminal code in Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13. A violation would be classified as a Class A misdemeanor, making the bill a criminal enforcement tool focused on negligent or reckless firearm storage practices that lead to school-related gun possession by children.

Impact

HB0312 would amend Tennessee’s firearms laws by adding a new offense to Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13. It expands potential criminal liability for firearm owners or custodians whose reckless storage allows a child under 18 to access a gun and bring it to school. The bill would affect gun owners, parents, guardians, and others responsible for firearm storage, and it would give prosecutors a misdemeanor charge to use in school gun-access incidents involving minors.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the bill appears to be framed as a public-safety measure focused on school gun prevention. The language suggests a policy goal that is likely to appeal to supporters of stronger firearm storage accountability, while remaining limited to a specific scenario involving children and schools. No recorded opposition or support is available in the provided context, so the overall sentiment cannot be measured from discussion history.

Contention

The main potential point of contention is the bill’s criminalization of firearm storage practices, particularly the standard that a person “reasonably should know” a child could access the firearm. Supporters would likely view this as a targeted accountability measure to prevent school gun incidents, while critics may argue it could impose liability on gun owners for conduct that is not intentional and could be difficult to prove. Another possible issue is the breadth of the school definition, which covers a wide range of educational properties and activities.