Legislative observers dubbed last year the “Year of the Gun” in the Tennessee General Assembly.

As Republicans regained control of the capitol for the first time since Reconstruction, firearms-related legislative issues such as “guns in restaurants” or “guns in bars” (depending upon your stance on the issue) and “guns in parks.”

The legislature’s focus on gun issues was praised by ardent supporters of the 2nd Amendment and criticized by pretty much everyone else.

To understand how the legislature arrived at last year’s flurry of gun bills requires an understanding of recent legislative history. For years, Tennessee has had a pro-gun majority in the General Assembly. However, gun bills sponsored by lawmakers on either side of the aisle were often prevented from reaching a vote by House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, who used House rules to his advantage. Once Republicans won a majority in the House and unseated Naifeh, the bottleneck that had been holding up gun bills in committee was removed, and a flood of bills to the legislative floor was the result.

That isn’t to say that all the bills considered by the legislature last year were smart bills or necessary bills. But legislators were unfairly criticized at times for dedicating too much time to consideration of gun-related matters. If other pressing matters were ignored because gun matters were the focus of lawmakers’ attention, that’s a travesty. But look at it another way: At least gun laws don’t involve tax money (not usually, anyway). Every minute that passes with lawmakers engaged in debate of gun issues is a minute passed without our tax dollars being spent. And that can’t be a bad thing.

With all that said, there’s been plenty of speculation over whether 2010—as the 106th General Assembly completes its term—will be the Year of the Gun Part II.

After the initial flurry of bill-filing, here is a rundown of the gun-related bills filed so far. This isn’t an all-inclusive list, but includes the bills sure to garner the most discussion. And, this is only bills filed this year. Remember, there are still plenty of bills collecting dust from last year. Any of those can see action in the weeks and months ahead.
• HB 2558 by Rep. Richard Montgomery (R-Sevierville) and SB 2538 by Sen. Doug Overbey (R-Maryville) would reduce the delay for a renewed handgun carry permit from 90 days to 60 days.

• HB 2567 by Rep. Henry Fincher (D-Cookeville) and SB 2390 by Sen. Doug Jackson (D-Dickson) would permit persons without a handgun carry permit to carry a rifle or shotgun in a private vehicle provided the gun is unloaded (at first glance, this doesn’t appear to be much of a change from existing state law).

• HB 2718 by Rep. Stacey Campfield (R-Knoxville) and SB 3752 by Sen. Dewayne Bunch (R – Cleveland) would provide that a birth certificate is not needed to apply for or renew a handgun carry permit.

• HB 2719 by Campfield and SB 3753 would permit persons with a handgun carry permit to carry a handgun on a greenway that runs through a park, even if the municipality has voted to ban handguns in the park.

• HB 2726 by Campfield and SB 3756 by Bunch would permit persons with handgun carry permits to have a handgun in their vehicle on a public college campus, as long as the gun is out of sight and the vehicle is locked.

• HB 3141 by Rep. Mike McDonald (D-Portland) and SB 3009 by Jackson would prohibit employers from prohibiting employees from having firearms stored in a locked vehicle on the company’s premises.

• HB 3240 by Rep. Joe McCord and SB 2391 by Jackson would remove the authority of the governor to commandeer or limit the sale or transportation of firearms and ammunition during a state of emergency or natural disaster.

Yes, it looks like 2010 is indeed shaping up to be the second coming of Year of the Gun.

Of course, not all of the 2nd Amendment-related bills are aimed at relaxing current gun laws. Consider a couple of bills filed by Rep. G.A. Hardaway and Sen. Beverly Marrero, both Democrats from Memphis. HB 2421 and SB 3376 would reinstitute the requirement that firearm purchasers provide a thumb print as part of the background check process, while HB 2422 and SB 3377 would prohibit any person who is not a licensed firearms dealer from transferring a firearm to another person within 1,000 ft. of a gun show.