AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39 and Title 40, relative to criminal justice.
Summary
HB1332 amends Tennessee’s handgun carry permit law and related criminal justice provisions. The bill lowers the minimum age to apply for a handgun carry permit from 21 to 18 for eligible Tennessee residents who are U.S. citizens or permanent lawful residents, so long as they are not otherwise prohibited from possessing or purchasing a firearm under state or federal law and meet the remaining permit requirements.
The bill also tightens the DUI-related eligibility standard for permit applicants and renewals. Under the new language, an applicant must not have two or more DUI convictions within the prior 10 years, and none of those convictions may have occurred within the last 5 years. The act takes effect immediately upon becoming law.
Impact
The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-17-1351, which governs handgun carry permits, by changing both age eligibility and disqualifying DUI history. It affects the Department of Safety’s permit-issuance process and expands permit access to 18- to 20-year-old adults who otherwise qualify, while preserving existing firearm disqualifications under Tennessee, federal law, and other referenced statutes. It also modifies the criminal-history screening criteria used for initial applications and renewals.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have received generally favorable treatment in the legislative process, advancing through subcommittee and committee and ultimately passing both chambers. The recorded votes show clear majorities at each stage, though not unanimity, indicating support with some opposition. The absence of committee transcript discussion limits insight into detailed arguments, but the vote margins suggest the measure was broadly accepted while still drawing concern from a minority of legislators.
Contention
The main point of contention is the expansion of handgun carry permit eligibility to 18-year-olds, which likely raised public safety and maturity concerns among opponents. A secondary issue is the bill’s adjustment of DUI disqualifications, which may have been viewed either as a reasonable safeguard or as an additional restriction depending on perspective. The recorded nays in committee and on the floor indicate that some lawmakers objected to the age reduction and/or the permit policy changes, even though the bill ultimately passed.