Tennessee House Bill HB0956

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25
• Refer: 2/10/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 54; Title 38, Chapter 3, Part 1 and Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13, relative to the transfer of firearms.

Summary

HB0956 would create a new Tennessee criminal offense governing the private sale or transfer of firearms. In general, the bill requires firearm ownership transfers to occur through a gun dealer or through a gun dealer with a receipt, unless the transfer falls within specified exceptions. Those exceptions include antique firearms, transfers between gun dealers or wholesalers and dealers, transfers to law enforcement or military agencies, certain gifts or inheritances to family members, and temporary transfers that are not otherwise prohibited by law. The bill defines “family member” broadly to include spouses, parents, grandparents, siblings, children, and grandchildren, whether related by blood, marriage, or adoption. It also defines “gun dealer” by reference to federal law. A person who intentionally violates the new transfer restrictions would commit a Class B misdemeanor, face a fine of $500 to $10,000, and could be jailed for up to nine months. A conviction would also trigger a two-year prohibition on firearm possession.

Impact

The bill would add a new section to Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13 of the Tennessee Code and would effectively regulate private firearm transfers by requiring dealer involvement or a qualifying exception. It would create new criminal penalties for unlawful transfers and impose a temporary firearm-possession disability on convicted violators. The act would take effect July 1, 2025, and would affect private gun owners, family transfers, dealers, and anyone transferring firearms outside the listed exceptions.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of legislative debate or formal support/opposition in the available record. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to reflect a policy preference for tighter oversight of firearm transfers while preserving several common exceptions for family transfers, antiques, and temporary or official transfers. The absence of recorded discussion makes the overall sentiment difficult to gauge beyond the bill’s clear regulatory intent.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely the bill’s restriction on private, person-to-person firearm sales and transfers, which would require dealer involvement in most cases. Supporters would likely view the measure as a way to increase traceability and reduce unlawful gun transfers, while opponents may see it as an infringement on lawful private transfers and burdensome for ordinary gun owners. The family-transfer exception and temporary-transfer exception may reduce some concerns, but the criminal penalties and possession ban would still be significant points of debate.