Tennessee eyes 18+ gun-carry age with court or Capitol deal

By JONATHAN MATTISE
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Two years after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee led the charge to allow residents 21 and older to carry handguns in public without a permit, younger adults could soon have the same privilege. A gun rights group sued after the law was passed in 2021, arguing that the age limit should be lower. Then late last year, the state’s top lawyer moved to negotiate a settlement rather than defend the law. Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti cited last year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling expanding gun rights as he proposed a deal that would allow 18- to 20-year-olds to carry handguns publicly. While the deal remains on hold with a judge, state lawmakers could pass the change into law.