Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Constitutional Amendment Firearms topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Subcommittee forwards joint resolution proposing rewrite of state constitutional language on right to bear arms
Summary
House Joint Resolution 53, proposing a rewrite of Article I Section 26 to clarify the right to keep and bear arms, was advanced to full judiciary on a 5-1 vote in the Civil Justice Subcommittee.
House Joint Resolution 53, which proposes rewriting Article I Section 26 of the Tennessee Constitution to clarify that citizens have the right to keep and bear arms, cleared the Civil Justice Subcommittee and will go to full judiciary after a 5-1 vote.
Representative Reedy, sponsor of the resolution, said the measure seeks to rewrite the constitutional language to clarify citizens’ right to keep and bear arms. Supporters, including Richard Archie of the Tennessee Firearms Association, testified that the state’s earlier constitutional text better reflected the founders’ intent and that the proposed change restores that language. Archie said the change would reflect historical practice and the right to carry long guns.
Other witnesses urged attention to process. John Gentry and Johanna Cohen (testifying as a firearm owner) asked the committee to ensure proposed constitutional amendments are properly published to voters well ahead of the referendum that would place an amendment on the ballot. Gentry described a perceived lack of clear publication on the Secretary of State’s website and asked the committee to require clearer, broader publication. Johanna Cohen cited child firearm-death statistics and argued that the legislature should not "give away its duty and responsibility to enact regulations with a view to prevent crime," urging lawmakers to preserve the power to adopt regulations intended to prevent crime.
The clerk recorded five ayes and one no; HJR 53 will now go to full judiciary. The transcript shows both historical argumentation for restoring older constitutional wording and procedural concerns about how amendments are published to voters.
Votes at a glance: House Joint Resolution 53 — motion: send to full judiciary; outcome: approved; tally: 5 ayes, 1 no.
The resolution is a constitutional amendment proposal and would require voter approval if it advances through the legislative process; the committee heard testimony both in favor of the rewrite and urging safeguards on publication and voter notice.
