I spoke on a panel about gun carry laws in restaurants at the annual conference of the National Association of Licensing and Compliance Professionals in Portland, Oregon yesterday. The hot topic filled the room to capacity.
I asked for people to raise their hands if they supported lawful gun carriers being able to bring weapons into places that serve alcoholic beverages. Out of eighty-eight in attendance, only one person expressed support.
Representatives from several national restaurant chains were clearly opposed to guns in restaurants that serve alcoholic beverages. Many have restaurants in Tennessee and allow guns, but licensing professionals at the conference recognize the danger posed to employees and customers.
The gun panel moderator began the program by replaying a "Colbert Report" clip, in which Tennessee's gun law is ridiculed and rednecks at bars are featured for comic effect.
Makes one proud to be a Tennessean.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Guns in Bars: Here Comes the Judge
9 am November 6, 2009. That’s when the Tennessee Guns in Bars law is set for Court.
A group of restaurant owners and gun permit holders has asked the Court to strike down the Guns in Bars law. If the Court agrees, guns could not be carried into bars and restaurants. At least not until the legislature returns in January of 2010.
The Court could rule from the bench on November 6. More likely, the Court will take a few days and release a written order.
In the motion, the restaurant owners and gun permit holders say the Guns in Bars law is:
Vague. You cannot tell where it is legal to carry a gun. The Guns in Bars law allows guns to be carried in restaurants with liquor licenses, but not bars. You have to be able to tell if a place sells more food than alcohol, merchandise, rooms and other things typically sold by restaurants, bars, hotels and other places that sell alcohol. Many “restaurants” make more money from booze than food.
Dangerous. Having guns around alcohol creates an unsafe place for waitresses and other restaurant employees to work. Restaurants, bars and other places with liquor licenses are required by state and federal law to have safe workplaces.
Selected legal pleadings filed in the case are available here.
Look for more posts on Guns in Bars as the case progresses.
Learn more about the group Guns and Alcohol Don't Mix.
A group of restaurant owners and gun permit holders has asked the Court to strike down the Guns in Bars law. If the Court agrees, guns could not be carried into bars and restaurants. At least not until the legislature returns in January of 2010.
The Court could rule from the bench on November 6. More likely, the Court will take a few days and release a written order.
In the motion, the restaurant owners and gun permit holders say the Guns in Bars law is:
Vague. You cannot tell where it is legal to carry a gun. The Guns in Bars law allows guns to be carried in restaurants with liquor licenses, but not bars. You have to be able to tell if a place sells more food than alcohol, merchandise, rooms and other things typically sold by restaurants, bars, hotels and other places that sell alcohol. Many “restaurants” make more money from booze than food.
Dangerous. Having guns around alcohol creates an unsafe place for waitresses and other restaurant employees to work. Restaurants, bars and other places with liquor licenses are required by state and federal law to have safe workplaces.
Selected legal pleadings filed in the case are available here.
Look for more posts on Guns in Bars as the case progresses.
Learn more about the group Guns and Alcohol Don't Mix.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)