The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s “TICS” division, which is the
division that performs background checks on firearms purchases from
federally licensed dealers, has announced that it will now deny
transfers to anyone who has had 2 or more DUI’s in the preceding 10
years or 1 or more DUI’s in the last 5 years.
An apparent email from the TICS division to federally licensed firearms that was sent out on July 1, 2021, dealers states:
From: TICS on behalf of Sandi Duncan
Sent: Thursday, July 1, 2021, 9:26 AM
To: TICS@LISTSERV.TN.GOV
Subject: July 1, 2021 New Law
As
of July 1, 2021, a new law has gone into effect. (Attached) I wanted to
notify all the FFL Dealers in the state, because TICS will now have to
deny firearm transactions on individuals that have been convicted of one
DUI within the last five years, and individuals that have two DUI
convictions in the last ten years. I was hoping this new law would not
have an effect on the purchases, but I was notified late yesterday that
we would now have to deny the transactions that meet this criteria. I
have attached the Public Chapter 108 which is the new Permitless Carry
Law.
Sandi Duncan
CJIS Manager – TICS Unit
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
901 R.S. Gass Blvd. Nashville, TN. 37216
TFA has contacted the TICS unit with an Open Records Request to
obtain a copy of any research that was performed to support this policy
determination but has not at this time received a reply.
It is
not clear what the basis for the TIC’s policy change is but TFA is
sending requests for clarification to TBI, the Department of Safety and
even the BATF.
One thing appears clear. This is the kind of
thing that might be anticipated when new state laws are written that
impose new infringements on Second Amendment rights and those new
infringements have potential “ripple” effects that may or may not have
been intended.
