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Senate rejects amendment making transfers to known felons a class A misdemeanor
Summary
On third reading Senate Bill 34, which would have criminalized selling or transferring a firearm to a person known to be prohibited from possessing one, failed after debate over statutory language and scope. Sponsor said the bill closes an alleged loophole; opponents questioned drafting and potential overreach.
Senate Bill 34 came up on third and final consideration with a Senate Judiciary Committee amendment that would make it a class A misdemeanor to sell or transfer a firearm to a person known to be prohibited by state or federal law from possessing firearms.
Sponsor Sen. Campbell described the measure as closing what he characterized as a loophole and aligning state law with existing federal prohibitions: "This is just making it, or closing a loophole in the law so that Tennesseans are able to adjudicate cases as easily," Campbell said on the floor.
Several members raised parsing questions about the bill's language and whether commonly used devices or items could be unintentionally swept in by the statute. Sen. Pote asked whether items such as a slingshot might be captured by the definition; Campbell replied the bill targets firearms and analogous existing statutory language.
After floor discussion the roll call showed Ayes 11, Nays 21 and the bill was rejected on third reading.
The Senate debate focused on statutory language (the sponsor said the amended bill used the familiar legal term "knowingly"), enforcement scope and whether the amendment meaningfully changed existing law. The transcript records the sponsor's closing request for a favorable vote and the subsequent tally indicating the bill failed to receive a constitutional majority.
Next steps: The bill was rejected on the Senate floor and will not proceed in its current form.
