A couple of new bills, proposed by Shelby County Democrats and one House Republican, will require gun owners to keep their weapons and ammunition in locked containers in their vehicle’s interior if passed. One of the bills goes further, requiring guns to be kept in a gun-specific safe or vault.
A law enacted in 2014 permits Tennessee citizens to store guns and ammunition in their vehicle without a permit. Since then, gun thefts from vehicles have increased by 256 percent in Memphis, causing Police Director Mike Rallings and Memphis lawmakers to seek action.
“All we are asking is for law abiding people, if it’s in your car, to lock it up,” said Rep. Mark White, the sole Republican representative proposing one of the new bills. “That’s not too much to ask.”
Mike Rallings said he agrees with Rep. White and the proposed bills and is ready for the political fight to get the law changed. He also said he supports the Second Amendment and citizens can help reduce stolen guns with proper and safe storage.
“I think it is not asking too much for a citizen not to let the guns fall into the hands of children or would-be criminals,” Rallings said. “The problem is that citizens are not as responsible as we would like them to be.”
Violators of the law would be subject to misdemeanor charges and a fine of up to $2,500. The law would also penalize citizens for not reporting gun thefts with a $500 fine.
While gun theft is seen as a serious problem universally, some Tennessee lawmakers would like to see a different approach. Both Gov. Bill Lee and House Majority Leader William Lamberth said the focus should be on criminals, not lawful gun owners.
“We want to go after those criminals, regardless of what age they are, that are stealing firearms,” Lamberth said. “Hopefully, the mere knowledge that you’re going to do some serious jail time for stealing a firearm would deter some of these folks.”
A University of Memphis student, senior mechanical engineering major Baldeep Rana, said the suggested penalties are too extreme and the law may limit gun owners’ access to their firearms too much.
“I think that’s a bad idea,” Rana said. “What if you need quick access? If my car’s an extension from my home, they can’t tell me where to put it.”
Rana referred to the 2014 law, which allows citizens to keep their guns in their car, as they would their home.
James Bay, a UofM junior mechanical engineering major and part-time security guard, said he supports the idea off the proposed bills.
“When you leave it out, someone can easily break in and take it,” Bay said. “Someone who stole a gun did not go through a background check and could be more likely to commit crimes. I think the bill is a good idea.”
Bay also said the penalties for violating the bills are too extreme suggesting a citation or civil infraction as a more appropriate penalty for those who violate the bill.
A hearing date for the bills has not been set, but the bills are already a topic of discussion across the state.
