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2017 Tennessee Code
Title 39 - Criminal Offenses
Chapter 17 - Offenses Against Public Health, Safety and Welfare
Part 13 - Weapons
§ 39-17-1359. Prohibition at certain meeting -- Posted notice -- Handgun carry permit holder.
Universal Citation: TN Code § 39-17-1359 (2017)
- (a)
- (1) Except as provided in § 39-17-1313, an individual, corporation, business entity or local, state or federal government entity or agent thereof is authorized to prohibit the possession of weapons by any person who is at a meeting conducted by, or on property owned, operated, or managed or under the control of the individual, corporation, business entity or government entity.
- (2) The prohibition in subdivision (a)(1) shall apply to any person who is authorized to carry a firearm by authority of § 39-17-1351.
- (b)
- (1) Notice of the prohibition permitted by subsection (a) shall be accomplished by displaying the notice described in subdivision (b)(3) in prominent locations, including all entrances primarily used by persons entering the property, building, or portion of the property or building where weapon possession is prohibited. The notice shall be plainly visible to the average person entering the building, property, or portion of the building or property, posted.
- (2) The notice required by this section shall be in English, but a duplicate notice may also be posted in any language used by patrons, customers, or persons who frequent the place where weapon possession is prohibited.
- (3)
- (A) A sign shall be used as the method of posting. The sign shall include the phrase "NO FIREARMS ALLOWED", and the phrase shall measure at least one inch (1") high and eight inches (8") wide. The sign shall also include the phrase "As authorized by T.C.A. § 39-17-1359".
- (B) The sign shall include a pictorial representation of the phrase "NO FIREARMS ALLOWED" that shall include a circle with a diagonal line through the circle and an image of a firearm inside the circle under the diagonal line. The entire pictorial representation shall be at least four inches (4") high and four inches (4") wide. The diagonal line shall be at a forty-five degree (45 degrees) angle from the upper left to the lower right side of the circle.
- (4) An individual, corporation, business entity, or government entity that, as of January 1, 2015, used signs to provide notice of the prohibition permitted by subsection (a) shall have until January 1, 2018, to replace existing signs with signs that meet the requirements of subdivision (b)(3).
- (c)
- (1) It is an offense to possess a weapon in a building or on property that is properly posted in accordance with this section.
- (2) Possession of a weapon on posted property in violation of this section is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by fine only of five hundred dollars ($500).
- (d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter, reduce or eliminate any civil or criminal liability that a property owner or manager may have for injuries arising on their property.
- (e) This section shall not apply to title 70 regarding wildlife laws, rules and regulations.
- (f) Except as provided in subsection (g), this section shall not apply to the grounds of any public park, natural area, historic park, nature trail, campground, forest, greenway, waterway or other similar public place that is owned or operated by the state, a county, a municipality or instrumentality thereof. The carrying of firearms in those areas shall be governed by § 39-17-1311.
- (g) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (g)(2), nothing in this section shall authorize an entity of local government or a permittee thereof to enact or enforce a prohibition or restriction on the possession of a handgun by a handgun carry permit holder on property owned or administered by the entity unless the following are provided at each public entrance to the property:
- (A) Metal detection devices;
- (B) At least one (1) law enforcement or private security officer who has been adequately trained to conduct inspections of persons entering the property by use of metal detection devices; and
- (C) That each person who enters the property through the public entrance when the property is open to the public and any bag, package, and other container carried by the person is inspected by a law enforcement or private security officer described in subdivision (g)(1)(B) or an authorized representative with the authority to deny entry to the property.
- (2) Subdivision (g)(1) does not apply to:
- (A) Facilities that are licensed under title 33, 37, or 68;
- (B) Property on which firearms are prohibited by § 39-17-1309 or § 39-17-1311(b)(1)(H)(ii);
- (C) Property on which firearms are prohibited by § 39-17-1306 at all times regardless of whether judicial proceedings are in progress;
- (D) Buildings that contain a law enforcement agency, as defined in § 39-13-519;
- (E) Libraries; or
- (F) Facilities that are licensed by the department of human services, under title 71, chapter 3, part 5, and administer a Head Start program.
- (2) Subdivision (g)(1) does not apply to:
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