Not long ago, I made the suggestion that should a shooting occur on a gun-free zone, then the legislators that created these gun free zones should be held accountable. While we’re not quiet there yet, progress has been made toward the elimination of gun free zones, and it looks like we’re starting in Tennessee.

This Friday, Tennessee legislature will be making into law, SB 1736. The law will make those who make their private property a gun free zone lawfully responsible for any harm that befalls a licensed gun carrier as a result of being deprived of his or her weapon.

Present law authorizes persons in control of property to post a notice that prohibits firearms on the premises. This bill imposes a duty of care on any person who posts their property to prohibit firearms whereby such person will be responsible for the safety of any handgun carry permit holder while the permit holder is on the posted premises and traversing any area to and from the premises and the location where the permit holder’s firearm is stored. The duty of care created by this bill will extend to the conduct of other invitees, trespassers, employees of the person or entity, vicious animals, wild animals, and defensible man-made and natural hazards.

This is a huge step forward. Should a store that forces its customers should leave their weapon behind when they could have lawfully carried a weapon with them suffers injury that could have been avoided had they been armed, that store and its owner can be sued within 2 years of the event occurring.

Hopefully this will encourage many establishments to allow their patrons to carry the firearms they lawfully trained to carry for protection. With mass shootings occurring consistently on gun-free zones, eliminating them  – not with a ban – but with legal ramifications should something occur, is a big step forward toward real progress for the safety and well being of citizens.