Tennessee subcommittee advances bill barring landlords from banning firearms in rented homes

NASHVILLE — The Business Utility Subcommittee voted to advance House Bill 469 on a voice vote recorded as 8 ayes and 2 nays after hearing testimony both for and against the proposal.

Representative Reeves, the bill sponsor, described HB469 as a narrow amendment to Tennessee’s residential landlord-tenant law that would prevent landlords from prohibiting a tenant’s lawful possession, carrying, transportation or storage of a firearm inside leased residential premises. The sponsor said the measure would allow possession in a tenant’s vehicle and necessary entry between the vehicle and the dwelling. The bill, as amended in committee, would apply only to residential leases, take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, and explicitly exclude hospitals, nursing homes and assisted-care facilities, certain independent-living facilities, Department of Children’s Services and mental-health facilities, state agency premises and school property.

“A renter should not have fewer rights of lawful self defense inside their home than someone who owns,” said Bridal Winston, who identified herself as Tennessee state director for Women for Gun Rights, urging the committee to protect renters’ ability to defend themselves. Kristen Pressburg, a Rutherford County resident and owner of She Shoots Training, said many of her clients are single mothers or survivors who rely on defensive firearms and cited research she said showed roughly 32–34 percent of Tennesseans rent and that a majority of murders in 2024 occurred in victims’ residences, a statistic she attributed to Tennessee Bureau of Investigation data.

Opponents warned the bill could infringe owners’ property rights. “As a homeowner, I should have the right to determine whether or not I want a firearm in my home,” testified Johanna Cohen of Robertson County, who said property owners should be able to limit firearms in dwellings they own and offer tenants the option to find housing that matches their preferences.

Sponsor Reeves told members the bill does not rewrite criminal law or self-defense doctrines; rather, he said, it narrowly amends Title 66 (the landlord‑tenant provisions) to make clear tenants cannot be contractually stripped of the ability to lawfully possess firearms in leased premises. The sponsor and members discussed practical scenarios — for instance, a lease signed before Jan. 1, 2027, would remain in force until renewed or extended, while the new rule would apply prospectively to leases thereafter.

Members raised recurring concerns about balancing property-owner rights and tenant protections, asking whether limits landlords currently place on tenants (for example, about political signs or pet rules) were analogous. Representative Reeves responded that the legislature long regulates residential lease provisions — habitability, access, security deposits and eviction processes — and characterized HB469 as a similarly limited public‑policy regulation within that framework.

The committee also adopted an amendment offered by the sponsor before taking the final vote. The clerk recorded 8 ayes and 2 nays and sent HB469 to full Commerce for further consideration.

Votes at a glance: House Bill 469 (Rep. Reeves) — Passed to full Commerce, 8–2. Two other items on the subcommittee calendar were rolled one week at sponsors’ requests: “house 16 73” and “house bill 4 18 47” (no further details specified on the calendar roll actions).

What’s next: Because the subcommittee advanced the bill, HB469 will be scheduled for consideration by the full Commerce Committee; members signaled additional language work may follow if the bill continues to advance.