NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee legislators introduced two bills designed to prevent violent gang activity and gun crime, according to a release from Democratic lawmakers.
The release describes two specific bills — the first makes it a Class E felony to buy a gun for someone legally prohibited from having one and the other prohibits giving, lending or transferring a gun to someone who can't have them.
The first bill, SB 2123, was introduced by Sen. Heidi Campbell (D - Nashville). Lawmakers said it is meant to address "straw purchasing," a practice in which a person buys a gun from a store on behalf of someone else. Lawmakers said it is a common practice among traffickers and gang members and is illegal under federal law. However, there is no state statute prohibiting it.
By making it a Class E felony, people who buy guns for felons risk becoming felons themselves. The Giffords Law Center, an advocacy group for gun restrictions, said around two-thirds of guns recovered in states with strong gun laws were originally sold in states with weak gun laws.
The other bill, SB 1654, makes it a Class A misdemeanor to give, lend, deliver or transfer a gun to a person who knowingly isn't legally allowed to have one. Lawmakers said current Tennessee law only prohibits people from selling guns to people not legally allowed to have them, but nothing prohibits guns from only being given to convicted felons.
It was also introduced by Campbell and according to a release, it's meant to close a "gun transfer" loophole in Tennessee.
“Tennessee isn’t ‘tough on crime’ unless our laws make it harder for criminals and gang members to get guns,” said Campbell in the release. “These are anti-gang, public safety reforms that will help law enforcement do their jobs and shut down the pathways criminals use to get their hands on firearms.”
