Supporters say HB 469 protects renters' safety; some residents warn of property-rights overreach

Bridal Winston, who identified herself as Tennessee state director for Women for Gun Rights, told the subcommittee that the bill addresses "a quiet contradiction" in state law where a law-abiding person may be allowed to own a firearm but prohibited from possessing it inside a rented dwelling. "I was my own protector," Winston said, relating her experience renting and arguing that renters should have the same ability to protect themselves inside the dwelling they call home.

Kristen Pressburg, a Rutherford County resident and owner of She Shoots training, also testified in favor. Pressburg cited rental statistics and 2024 data she attributed to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation on violent crimes occurring in victims' residences, arguing the bill would help renters—particularly low-income renters and renters of color—who are disproportionately likely to rent rather than own housing.

Opposing testimony came from Johanna Cohen of Robertson County. Cohen said property owners should retain the right to set lease terms and protect investments, and she described the bill as governmental overreach into private contractual arrangements. "As a homeowner, I should have the right to determine whether or not I want a firearm in my home," she told the committee.

Committee members pressed witnesses and the sponsor on practical questions, including standardized lease forms, whether tenants have realistic choice in tight housing markets, and how the bill would apply in mixed-occupancy situations such as a homeowner renting an in-law or basement apartment. Sponsor Representative Reeves said he intended the change to be limited to the landlord-tenant code and to protect a tenant's exclusive possession of a leased unit.