By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
Lawmakers in Tennessee have passed, and sent to Gov. Bill Lee, a bill that would prevent landlords from prohibiting tenants from having firearms and ammunition on their rented property.
The Nashville Tennessean is reporting that if Senate Bill 0350 becomes law, it will become effective on Jan. 1, 2027 and affect “thousands of tenants” in the Volunteer State.
There are exemptions in the Tennessee bill for state agencies, hospitals, nursing homes, mental health facilities, Department of Children’s Services facilities and school properties. The bill prevents landlords from preventing renters from possessing, carrying, transporting or storing firearms or components, including ammunition, on leased premises or in a vehicle parked on the leased property.
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is applauding the bill’s passage, noting that the organization has been “on the front lines of battles in other states” where landlords—typically public housing entities—have barred firearms in their residences by wording in the lease agreements. Court challenges have forced changes in such housing requirements on Second Amendment grounds in Illinois and a few other states.
“This legislation assures that renters will be able to have their firearms for personal protection, hunting, competition or other typical needs,” CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb observed. “Thanks to wording in the bill, there is a way for tenants to challenge violations and seek damages. On the other hand, landlords will be shielded from civil liability for complying with the law.”
The Tennessean reported that various organizations, including the Ohio-based Sportsmen’s Alliance, supported the legislation.
Similar laws have been adopted in a handful of other states, including Minnesota and Texas.
