Posted: 12/26/2009 2:14:05 PM EDT
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Hi guys,
I'm travelling through Tennessee and have a carry permit in Texas. Can you guys fill me in on areas that I cannot carry in? Generally, are you allowed to carry at malls? What signage should I look for which will prohibit me from carrying? In my research I read about an ammendment that passed in your state activated last June which appears to allow carrying in restraunts which serve alcohol as long as you aren't drinking. Is my interpretation correct? Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance. 
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A Nashville judge ruled the carry where alcohol is served law to be "unconstitutionally vague".
The state is appealing that ruling, but carry where alcohol is served is currently an unresolved situation. Why the judge could say the carry where alcohol is served law was too hard for permit holders to figure out, but allowing individual county and city governments to make their own rules prohibiting carry in their parks is apparently perfectly fine and supposedly easy for permit holders to keep track of... ETA: As for signs, the entrance must be posted with an easily visible sign stating that the owner/management has prohibited the carry of firearms. So anywhere there is a sign posted at the entrance prohibiting guns (there is a required legal wording, but it seems that reading enough of the law to understand there is a required wording, is apparently too much to ask of some anti-gun managers/owners) you can't carry... except for state parks, which can be posted with signs stating that permit holders can't carry there, but the legislature wrote the law change to allow permit holders to ignore those signs, instead of spending the money to have the signs removed. Pretty easy to understand, isn't it? 
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Quoted:
Hi guys, I'm travelling through Tennessee and have a carry permit in Texas. Can you guys fill me in on areas that I cannot carry in? Generally, are you allowed to carry at malls? What signage should I look for which will prohibit me from carrying? In my research I read about an ammendment that passed in your state activated last June which appears to allow carrying in restraunts which serve alcohol as long as you aren't drinking. Is my interpretation correct? Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance. You cannot currently carry where alcohol is served for on-premises consumption (this means bars & restaurants). We did get that changed, but the law was declared "unconsitutionally vague", and is currently not in effect. There are further legal challenges, and we hope to correct the problems in the next session of the legislature. You can carry in grocery, convenience, package, and even liquor stores (i.e., where alcohol is sold for off-premises consumption), as long as they are not posted against carry. State parks are good to go, even if there are signs stating otherwise. Carry Permit holders are exempt from that law. Tennessee does not mandate concealed carry––you may carry either openly or concealed. I heartily recommend concealed. It just causes fewer problems. Most malls are posted against carry...many of them even legally so. the law requires specific wording, and a simple "No Guns" or the gun-with-a-red-slash only are specifically not legal signs. See the Tennessee Firearms Association's Forum, in the "Banning Properties & Locations" section for some specific details. If you want to provide some details regarding which parts of TN you'll be visiting, I'm sure you'll get pretty sound advice on what's OK & what's not in any given area. Have a safe trip! David |
| Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. Hopefully we will just stay in. The mall they usually go to is that one in Memphis, I can't remember what its called. I hope they work out that dumb court decision for you guys so that when I come back next time I can carry in restraunts! |