A pair of Tennessee lawmakers are proposing letting the operators of ticketed events ban guns — even if their venue is in a government-owned park.
Senate minority leader Lee Harris, D-Memphis, and state Rep. John RayClemmons, D-Nashville, are behind the measure, Senate bill 1432. They say it will put an end to the controversy over whether guns can be barred from amphitheaters, stadiums and other places that are run by private companies but owned by local government.
"We're proposing a common-sense solution with the support of those on both sides of the gun debate to try and keep public events in Tennessee safe," Clemmons said in a press release.
Lawmakers will consider the bill when they reconvene in January.
Earlier this summer, Tennessee attorney general HerbertSlaterysaid guns could not be banned there because they're considered parks. A state law that went into effect this year prohibited local governments from banning guns in their parks, except when they're hosting a school function.
Critics say allowing guns at other large gatherings, such as concerts or sports events, would be dangerous for spectators and police.
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