CCRKBA APPLAUDS TNBILL BARRING LANDLORDS FROM BANNING GUNS

BELLEVUE, WA – Legislation adopted by the Tennessee Legislature, barring landlords from banning firearms in or on rental properties, is being cheered by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

Senate Bill 0350 has been sent to Gov. Bill Lee. If he signs, the bill will apply to new or renewed leases beginning Jan. 1, 2027. The Nashville Tennessean is estimating that thousands of tenants in the Volunteer State will be affected.

“This is an important piece of legislation,” noted CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “We have been on the front lines of battles in other states where landlords have arbitrarily prohibited their tenants from having firearms in their dwellings. It typically happens in public housing facilities, and courts have determined this violates the Second Amendment rights of renters.”

The legislation had support from a variety of organizations, including the Sportsmen’s Alliance. Gottlieb noted that similar measures have been adopted in a handful of states, possibly in reaction to successful lawsuits in Illinois and other states involving the public housing prohibitions.

There are exemptions in the Tennessee bill for state agencies, hospitals, nursing homes, mental health facilities, Department of Children’s Services facilities and school properties. The bill prevents landlords from preventing renters from possessing, carrying, transporting or storing firearms or components, including ammunition, on leased premises or in a vehicle parked on the leased property.

“This legislation assures that renters will be able to have their firearms for personal protection, hunting, competition or other typical needs,” Gottlieb observed. “Thanks to wording in the bill, there is a way for tenants to challenge violations and seek damages. On the other hand, landlords will be shielded from civil liability for complying with the law.”