Tennessee Governor Will Veto Bill Allowing Guns in Bars

Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen said that he plans to veto legislation allowing people to carry firearms into restaurants and bars, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported May 28.

The measure was slated to take effect June 1.

“To carry a concealed weapon in a crowded bar at midnight on a Saturday night defies common sense,” Bredesen said in a letter to House Speaker Kent Williams. Bredesen recalled a gun-safety class he took in high school. “A basic tenet taught at that class was this: “Guns and alcohol don’t mix.”

Rep. Curry Todd (R-Collierville), who sponsored the bill in the House of Representatives, said he would attempt to get the veto overridden.

Supporters of the legislation noted that few state residents have lost their handgun permits because of safety violations. “The bottom line is it’s a remarkable record of safety … and responsibility on the part of handgun-permit holders in Tennessee,” said Sen. Doug Jackson (D-Dickson), who was the bill’s main sponsor.