The Tennessee Legislature’s 2021 session has really been sort of diverted from a normally expected path because of the Governor’s special called session on education as well as the continued impact of Covid. When we did our review this morning of the over 800 bills which have been filed so far, we noted that there were none filed this week that are being added to our watch list.

However, that is not to say that things are not happening related to your rights and 2nd Amendment issues in Tennessee. We are having discussions with legislators about the bills that have been filed, we are having discussions about possible amendments and we are being consulted prior to filing of some bills by conservative, 2nd Amendment supporting legislators about bill ideas that they want to pursue. Theses are all good signs. Plus, these activities are putting extreme demands on the time of TFA’s all-volunteer board.

What we do know is that there is a lot of talk among legislators and even some sheriffs about issues that TFA members and supporters have pushed for years. Issues like constitutional carry, civil immunity protections, allowing individuals and businesses to effectively resist riots, mobs, protests and arsonists, and prohibitions on using state and local resources to enforce federal anti-2nd Amendment laws, regulations and executive orders!

We believe that one reason that some in the Legislature have these issues on their minds is that TFA members and supporters are active, informed and engaged. TFA cannot understate the significance of this. For Tennessee’s conservatives and gun owners to succeed legislatively in 2021, it is going to be important for the following to occur:

– TFA members and supporters need to understand who their individual legislators are. You can look that information up on the state’s lookup tool if you do not already know. Make sure you have the names of your legislators, their office and home numbers are on your notepad or phone, and that you have their mailing address (real letters are better) stored.

– TFA members and supporters need to devote enough time each week to call their legislators and ask to speak directly with them – not just staff. Ask for call backs if you have to. Call after hours if you need to and leave vote messages. Make sure you are making direct contact at least once a week. What do you need to tell them? A few things at a minimum. Your name, that you are a constituent and give an address, that you are a “Tennessee Firearms Association” supporter, that you are calling to support specific bill numbers and issues (e.g., HB25 on civil immunity protections) and that you want to know if they (your legislators) support it, are they co-sponsoring it and if not why not, and what other legislators are they talking to – particularly committee members – to make sure it passes.

– If you can’t reach them or they don’t return your calls, write a letter each week and send it to your House and Senate members. Send a real letter. Don’t email it. Don’t fax it. Put a stamp on it and mail it. It makes a real difference in an era when our domestic enemies are trying to flood legislators with email campaigns.

– Make time to go see them face to face. Even if you can’t get to Nashville during the week to see them at the Legislative offices, you can make time to see them at their homes, churches, restaurants, and jobs on the days they are not in Nashville. Go see them. Tell them the things you would tell them on the phone. Make sure they know you are interested and focused on these issues. Make sure they know that you expect them to vote for these bills, push these bills forward and override a veto if necessary.

Tennessee Firearms Association is a grassroots advocacy group. It’s success comes from informed, active members who have personal relationships with their legislators. Its success also comes from supporting and helping to educate individuals who want to be elected officials at local and state level opportunities. The TFA’s success depends on your support and engagement.