Tennessee Action alert: HB1737 and HB2514 are up for a possible vote March 4
Tennessee’s weapons laws still contain “gotcha” provisions that can turn peaceful, law-abiding adults into criminals based on vague standards or long-past mistakes. Rep. Monty Fritts’ two bills—HB1737 and HB2514—offer an overdue course correction grounded in a simple principle: if the government believes someone is too dangerous to exercise a constitutional right, it should have to say so plainly and prove it—rather than relying on vague offenses and blanket disabilities that ensnare peaceful citizens.
When is the vote?
Both bills have been placed on the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee calendar for Wednesday, March 4, 2026 (9:00 AM, House Hearing Room II).
They are Items 23 (HB1737) and 24 (HB2514) on that calendar.
The calendar runs through Item 51, so it is genuinely hard to predict whether the subcommittee will reach them that day.
Even so, this is the moment to contact members—because bills can move quickly when time opens up, calendars shift, or leadership decides to prioritize an item.
What HB2514 does: end the “intent to go armed” trap for ordinary carry
Today, Tennessee’s broad “intent to go armed” concept has operated like a legal minefield: peaceful carry can be treated as a crime based on subjective interpretation rather than any threatening act. HB2514 deletes the general offense of carrying a firearm (or club) with “intent to go armed,” and refocuses enforcement on clear, defined places and genuinely risky conduct.
Importantly, it does not create a free-for-all. It keeps restrictions where they make the most sense—such as K-12 school buildings and school buses (with specific posting/conditions) and it rewrites the “under the influence” handgun offense to target impairment and risk rather than mere peaceful possession.
In short: stop criminalizing normal, peaceable carry; keep the law focused on sensitive locations and dangerous behavior.
What HB1737 does: restore rights after debts are paid and childhood mistakes are outgrown
HB1737 addresses a different—but equally important—civil liberties problem: status-based firearm restrictions that punish people today for past wrongdoing long after they have served their sentence or rehabilitated.
HB1737:
Removes an added “intent to go armed” firearm offense that applies to people with certain prior convictions (examples listed in the bill summary include stalking and DUI in certain circumstances).
Eliminates a special gun disability for adults under 25 based on certain juvenile delinquency adjudications—so a mistake at 15 doesn’t automatically mean reduced rights at 24 after years of clean living.
Lifts broad restrictions on carrying in public parks and recreational areas, allowing law-abiding Tennesseans to protect themselves while hiking, jogging, or at a family picnic.
This is the core limited-government point: laws that target status instead of conduct don’t stop violent criminals; they mainly create technical “process crimes” for people who are otherwise peaceable. Tennessee can punish threats, assault, intimidation, and reckless endangerment without treating ordinary citizens as presumptive criminals.
Why these bills matter for limited government and civil liberties
Together, HB1737 and HB2514 move Tennessee law toward a clearer, more constitutional standard:
Replace vague, discretionary enforcement with objective rules.
Reduce victimless, technical offenses that depend on an officer’s guess about “intent.”
Judge people by conduct—especially present conduct—not permanent suspicion.
Keep targeted protections for truly sensitive places and truly risky behavior.
If you live in Tennessee this is who you contact: House Criminal Justice Subcommittee
These are the members who may vote if the bills are heard.
Rep. Fred Atchley (R-12) – (615) 741-5981
Rep. Andrew Farmer (R-17) – (615) 741-4419
Rep. William Lamberth (R-44) – (615) 741-1980
Rep. Mary Littleton (R-78) – (615) 741-7477
Rep. Jason Powell (D-53) – (615) 741-6861
Rep. Lowell Russell (R-21) – (615) 741-3736
Rep. Gabby Salinas (D-96) – (615) 741-1920
Rep. Rick Scarbrough (R-33) – (615) 741-4400
(Official roster listed by the General Assembly is here.)