Publication of gun-permit data in Tennessee leads to bill making it largely secret

We reported here that the Memphis Commercial Appeal's posting on its Web site of a database of Tennesseans who had concealed gun permits had raised the ire of pro-gun advocates. Now the state House has passed a bill that would that make the names of permit holders largely secret and one to allow guns to be carried in restaurants that serve alcohol without curfew restrictions. The vote was 83-12, perhaps signaling passage in the Senate.

"Advocates for keeping the records public argue they allow media outlets to report on handgun permits that should not have been issued, including a 2008 Tennessean analysis that found the state had renewed permits for almost 200 felons," reports Colby Sledge of The Tennessean. "Anyone convicted of a felony is prohibited from owning firearms unless the person gets their rights restored in court."

Permit information will be available to the public only if introduced as evidence in a criminal case or child-support hearing. "The bill would still allow the Department of Safety to report how many permits had been issued and revoked, along with the ZIP codes where such actions occurred," Sledge reports. (Read more)