Bredesen seeks rollback of nutty gun laws passed by crazed, passionate TNGA GOPers

[doeriver]

Bredesen, Tennessee gun-law foes say support misfires
Governor cites opinion shift, calls for revisions
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/jul/14/gun-law-foes-say-support-misfires/
By Richard Locker (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Tuesday, July 14, 2009

NASHVILLE -- Gov. Phil Bredesen said Tuesday he hopes the legislature will roll back some of the gun laws it passed this year at the urging, he said, of a relatively few but "passionate" people.

He predicted a backlash from a majority of Tennesseans he said have become energized over some of the "craziness" in the guns-in-restaurants and guns-in-parks laws going into effect.

On both fronts, restaurant owners and local governments are exercising their "opt-out" authority to keep their businesses and local parks gun-free zones. Shelby County and Republican-heavy areas such as Germantown and Williamson County on Monday removed their local parks from the new law allowing handgun-carry permit holders to bring guns into parks.

State Rep. Curry Todd, R-Collierville, who sponsored the guns-in-restaurants bill, said he doubts the legislature will roll back any of the bills and that he favors retaining the opt-out provision for cities and counties on local parks.



Rep. Curry Todd, R-Collierville: passionate of just plain ole crazy?
http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/house/members/h95.html

"I'm sorry the governor didn't get more involved and give us more guidance earlier," Todd said. "But if people will look at the criteria set up in the (restaurant) bill, they will see its not what you in the media have portrayed it to be: It says that the serving of meals shall be the principal business conducted or it's not open to guns."

Bredesen said he will oppose any effort by the gun lobby to remove the "opt-out" provision for cities and counties when the legislature reconvenes in January.

"The only reason that I found guns-in-parks even marginally acceptable was the fact that it did have that opt-out clause, which I thought a lot of particularly urban and suburban counties were going to feel was important," Bredesen said. "These parks have an awful lot of kids in them, and I understand completely the motivation as to why somebody would want to prohibit guns in the parks.

"I would love to see some of (the new gun laws) rolled back into a more reasonable position."

... (more at hyperlink above)