NASHVILLE – Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen will wait to decide whether to veto a new bill to allow handgun permit holders to bring their weapons into bars and restaurants that serve alcohol.
Bredesen vetoed a similar measure last year flanked by law enforcement and prosecutors who opposed the bill, but he was easily overriden by the Legislature.
The law was later declared unconstitutionally vague, so lawmakers this year passed a new version to try to eliminate any ambiguities.
Last year’s version sought to exclude establishments that predominantly serve alcohol, but Tennessee makes no legal distinction between bars and restaurants. This year’s bill makes no exclusions for where guns can be carried, as long as permit holders don’t consume alcohol.
Bredesen appeared unpersuaded by the changes to the bill: “It hasn’t been made any better.”