Laws & Sausages: Should handgun permits be private or public record? Currently they’re public. Republicans want to change that. Why? Best I can tell it’s a pointless political stunt to fix something that isn’t broken just so they can show off how pro-gun owner they are. (The CityPaper explains why it’s an “Open Government” issue, not a “Second Amendment” issue.) Anyway, Republicans on the House Criminal Practice Subcommittee voted to privatize gun records while two Democratic opponents of the bill were out of the room (Briley and Sontany). Cute, huh? Not to be outdone, House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh (D-Covington) dropped by, added a new member to the subcommittee, then voted to overturn the previous vote. Gun records will remain public in Tennessee until at least 2012.
Thank You, Stephen Colbert! A bill to allow handguns in bars is dead because the state doesn’t have a clear legal definition of what a “bar” is and totally not because Stephen Colbert turned the lawmakers behind it into a national laughingstock.
Thank You, Coal Companies! A bill to ban surface mining on East Tennessee mountaintops is dead because the coal industry hated it and totally not because the Tennessee Scenic Vistas Protection Act is a goofy-sounding name.
In or Out? Want to run for School Board? Eric Crafton is out. If you want in, the deadline to submit your paperwork is noon today.
President Gore? Steve Gill takes a reasonably fair look at Al Gore’s path to the Democratic nomination this year.
- Rick
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