Gun Bill Email Draws Concern

Nashville - The Tennessee Firearms Association is seeking to publicly identify each law enforcement officer and prosecutor who attended Gov. Phil Bredesen's veto of a bill to allow people with handgun carry permits to take their weapons into bars and restaurants that serve alcohol.

Nashville Police Chief Ronal Serpas said Friday the move could be seen as an effort to "to chill people's rights to speak their opinion."

John Harris, the Firearms Association's executive director, asked supporters in an e-mail to examine images of Thursday's veto ceremony, and to post on the group's Web site the names and employment details of those who joined Bredesen.

Harris argued that by appearing in uniform at the ceremony, police were trying to give the impression that "somehow their opinion is more important than the opinion of elected legislators."

"These are public officials taking a personal stance on a policy determination by the government," Harris said. "I think they're certainly subject to being identified and having their position clearly recorded in the public record."

Serpas questioned the group's motivations for seeking to identify officers who voluntarily attended the ceremony.

"What would be being said if the police department was sending out messages that we want to know the names, districts and supervisors of people who showed up on a bill opposing what we like?" he said.

The guns in bars measure passed the House on a 66-23 vote and the Senate by a 24-7 margin earlier this month. A simple majority is required in each chamber to override a veto.

Harris said he is trying to make the point that most of those who attended the veto ceremony were appointed rather than elected officials.

"The ones that I can identify aren't sheriffs, and one of the points we make is that sheriffs are elected officials much more sensitive to the rights of citizens than appointed chiefs of police," he said.

Yet among those standing behind the Democratic governor when he signed the veto was Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell.

"I do support the veto, for all the right reasons," the Republican from Tennessee's most populous county told reporters after the event.

"I'm an advocate for gun ownership and I'm a gun owner," he said. "But I do think there's a reason for restrictions."

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Read HB0962 at: http://www.capitol.tn.gov