July 14

We are rapidly approaching July 14. In case you have not been following the news, that's when House Bill 962 becomes law, allowing legal Handgun Carry Permit holders to carry in restaurants that serve alcohol provided they do not drink.

Wait. What's that? You haven't heard of it? Let me rephrase - this is the day that it will be legal to have (as the liberal media refers to it) "guns in bars."

As always, let me give you some facts on this law:
1. Guns will be allowed in bars - so long as they are on the person who has a valid Handgun Carry Permit (HCP), and provided that the person does not drink. THAT MEANS EVEN A SIP!
2. Guns will be permitted in restaurants that serve alcohol. This was, in fact, the whole reason for the bill. Again, the person must have a valid HCP and may not drink alcohol.
3. Only HCP holders will be entitled to do this.
4. Any restaurant or bar that does not want HCP holders to carry in their establishments simply must post a sign in accordance with TCA 39-17-1359.

Now that we have all that out of the way, did you know?
1. All states surrounding Tennessee have similar laws on the books already!
2. Most of the 37 states that are "shall-issue" with regards to permits to carry weapons have similar laws on the books already (only 2 of them don't!)
3. HCP holders in TN have a clean background, as checked by the FBI and TBI.
4. HCP holders have taken a class, proven themselves on a range, and paid out hundreds to do so, just to get the cool little card that lets them carry!
5. Criminals don't really care if it's legal or not to carry a gun anywhere. The only people that are limited are law-abiding HCP holders.

So why all the fuss? I really don't know. Makes for good news story filling time, I suppose.

Do guns and alcohol mix? No. But the new law takes that into consideration, as well.

Could a HCP holder break the law and carry while drinking? Sure. It's likely he (or she) would pay the consequences, as well. Too bad the hardened criminals do not always pay the consequences for their crimes.

So please hurry up & get here, July 14. I want to stop having to take off 5 pounds of my attire just to go into certain restaurants. And for those restaurants that post the signs - I will take my money elsewhere and let you know about it.