Tennessee House Bill HB1189

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/25
• Refer: 2/12/25
• Refer: 3/26/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 50; Title 57; Title 67; Title 68 and Title 70, relative to firearms.

Summary

HB1189 is a firearms-related cleanup and terminology bill that revises numerous Tennessee Code provisions to replace references to “handgun” or “handgun carry permit” with broader terms such as “firearm” and “firearm carry permit.” It also updates related language across a wide range of titles covering public records, domestic relations, education, corrections, law enforcement, employment, taxes, and parks, so that the statutes consistently refer to firearm carry permits rather than handgun-specific permits. The bill further provides that, beginning July 1, 2025, all valid permits issued under the current handgun permit framework will automatically be deemed enhanced firearm carry permits or concealed firearm carry permits, depending on the section, and the state will not be required to reissue the permits. In practical terms, the measure appears designed to conform Tennessee law to broader firearm-permit terminology and to preserve the validity of existing permits during the transition.

Impact

HB1189 would amend a large number of Tennessee statutes by substituting “firearm” for “handgun” and “firearm carry permit” for “handgun carry permit,” thereby changing the legal terminology used across multiple code titles. The bill does not appear to create a new permitting system from scratch, but rather to reclassify and harmonize existing permit references so that prior handgun permits continue to function under the new firearm-carry framework without reissuance. Its impact would be felt by permit holders, state agencies, employers, schools, courts, and other entities that rely on statutory permit language.

Sentiment

The available vote history suggests the bill had at least some support in committee, advancing from the House Civil Justice Subcommittee by a 4-3 recommendation for passage. No committee transcript is available, so there is no recorded debate to indicate broader public arguments, but the close vote suggests the measure was not unanimous and likely drew some concern even at the subcommittee level. Overall, the bill appears to have been treated as a firearms policy and statutory-conformity measure rather than a major substantive overhaul.

Contention

The main point of contention appears to be the bill’s broad expansion from “handgun” to “firearm,” which could be viewed as more than a technical cleanup because it potentially broadens the scope of permit-related statutes and their application. Opponents may have been concerned about the policy implications of treating handgun permits as firearm permits and automatically converting existing permits without reissuance, while supporters likely viewed the change as a necessary modernization and consistency fix. The close 4-3 subcommittee vote indicates that the scope and effect of the terminology changes were likely the central issue.