On August 22nd, a three-judge panel in Tennessee issued a unanimous ruling declaring two Tennessee statutes unconstitutional. The ruling empowers gun owners across Tennessee and underscores their rights to keep and bear arms.
The court determined that Tennessee's "intent to go armed" statute violates the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and the Tennessee Constitution. Secondly, the court declared Tennessee's law prohibiting the open carrying of certain firearms in parks and other recreational areas as unconstitutional.
The State of Tennessee will likely file an appeal with the Tennessee Court of Appeals and challenge the three-judge panel's ruling that limits responsible, law-abiding gun owners' rights. In the meantime, as the court battle continues on, the Tennessee General Assembly will resume the state's legislative session this upcoming January.
In January, the elected members of the General Assembly will have the opportunity to address these unconstitutional provisions and restore Tennesseans' Second Amendment rights to that envisioned by our Founding Fathers.
Please stay tuned to the NRA-ILA website and your inbox for updates.