The Tennessee House Republican Leader has filed a bill lowering the handgun carry age from 21 to 18.
Tennessee House Republican Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland-HD44)Â
The bill lowers the age requirement to lawfully carry a handgun in public and to obtain a concealed or enhanced carry permit.
The bill description states:
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, relative to firearms.
Firearms and Ammunition – As introduced, lowers the age requirement to obtain an enhanced or concealed handgun carry permit or lawfully carry a handgun in public from 21 to 18 years of age; states that the statutory authorization to transport or store a firearm or firearm ammunition in a motor vehicle under certain circumstances does not apply to a person under 21 years of age in a parking area that is owned, operated, or while in use by any school, unless the person is at least 18 years of age and meets certain military qualifications. – Amends TCA Title 39.
HB1735 does not allow for an individual under 21 years and older to store or transport a firearm on a school campus unless that individual is 18 years of age and is:
(A) Is an honorably discharged or retired veteran of the United States armed forces; (B) Is an honorably discharged member of the army national guard, the army reserve, the navy reserve, the marine corps reserve, the air national guard, the air force reserve, or the coast guard reserve, who has successfully completed a basic training program; or (C) Is a member of the United States armed forces on active duty status or is a current member of the army national guard, the army reserve, the navy reserve, the marine corps reserve, the air national guard, the air force reserve, or the coast guard reserve, who has successfully completed a basic training program.
Should the bill become law, it would take effect on July 1, 2022.
The Federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco of Firearms states the minimum age requirements for gun sales and transfers on their website. If the seller or person initiating the handgun transfer is unlicensed, then the minimum age is 18, with certain exceptions and in compliance with state and federal law. There is no such requirement for long guns.
Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) have different requirements. According to the ATF, “Under federal law, FFLs may not sell, deliver or otherwise transfer a handgun or handgun ammunition to any person the transferor knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under the age of 21.” For long guns, the age is 18.
Given Leader Lamberth’s position within the State House Republican Caucus, his co-sponsorship of this bill means it is likely to receive strong consideration.
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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Let me get this straight. At 18 you are old enough to go to war and kill other human beings with weapons of war, such as guns? However, when you come home, you cannot drink a beer? I never have understood this rationale.
Granted, from my own experience as a teenager, as well as raising one, I say that 21 should be pretty much the age for either.
Could this be because the State got or is going to get their “hand slapped” in that lawsuit filed by the Firearms Policy Coalition on behalf of those two 18 year-olds in Knox County?
This is what happens when legislators, Republican or Democrat, start trying to be cute with their legislative shenanigans! Our Constitution protects our God-given rights to carry firearms in order to defend ourselves. Pass true Constitutional Carry and stop playing games!
I’d be more in favor of raising the selective service registration to 21 instead of lowering the handgun carry age to 18.
I’m a big 2A guy but, I’m sorry folks, a lot of you have no business carrying a gun. In fact, some of you have such little sense, you’re not even qualified to carry a cap gun. In the day and age were the parents don’t parent and the words ‘personal responsibility” have no meaning, this is a bad idea. An 18 year old, cognitively, isn’t fully developed yet. They have no business carrying a handgun.
If you’re bent on lowering the age for carrying a handgun, you may as well lower the age of drinking back to 18 as well and complete the circle of stupidity.
“I’m a big 2A guy but,” No, you aren’t. In fact, statists like you don’t care for freedom or liberty at all. So many U.S. citizens are not Americans at all. You prove that with your statement above.
John,
You’re statement is 100% correct.
Bad idea. Keep the age requirement at 21.