State lawmakers on Monday signed off on a hot-button gun rights measure that would stop landlords from prohibiting tenants or their guests from legally possessing, carrying, transporting or storing firearms inside rental homes or in vehicles parked on leased property. The House move on the Senate version sends the bill to Gov. Bill Lee, who now has to decide whether to sign or veto a proposal supporters call an equal-rights fix for renters and opponents say could tie landlords’ hands on safety rules.
As reported by WSMV, the House on Monday substituted Senate Bill 350 for House Bill 469 and advanced the measure after the Senate approved its version in early February. The station noted that the bill also creates a private right of action for tenants who say a landlord violated the new prohibition.
What the bill does
The House amendment rewrites the proposal to say landlords may not prohibit the lawful possession, carrying, transportation or storage of firearms by residential tenants inside leased units or in tenant parking areas, while still allowing narrow rules for common spaces. As outlined by the Tennessee General Assembly, landlords may require that a firearm be transported concealed or stored in a carrying container and may require concealment while a tenant is in an elevator or shared hallway. The law would not apply to hospitals, certain licensed care facilities, some state-leased premises or school property.
The amendment also authorizes tenants who are harmed by a violation to seek declaratory or injunctive relief, actual and punitive damages, and attorney fees. The statute is set to apply to lease agreements that are entered into, amended or renewed on or after January 1, 2027.
Supporters and critics
Backers told committees and the full chambers that renters should not have fewer rights to lawful self-defense than homeowners, arguing the state should not allow a lease to undercut what gun owners can already do in a house they own. Democrats and landlord advocates countered that property owners need the ability to set their own safety and liability rules on buildings they manage.
Local reporting from WMC Action News 5 shows testimony at hearings was sharply divided, with pro-gun groups pressing for stronger protections for tenants and opponents warning about enforcement headaches and insurance exposure. Lawmakers who crafted the amendments said the final language was calibrated to protect tenants inside their homes while still leaving landlords tools to manage conduct in lobbies, hallways and other shared spaces.
Votes and next steps
The legislature’s official record shows the Senate passed SB 350 on Feb. 9 by a 27-5 margin and the House approved the substituted bill on March 9 by a 73-21 vote, according to the Tennessee General Assembly. With both chambers done, the measure moves to Gov. Lee. If he signs it, the protections will apply to lease agreements that are entered into, amended or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2027.
Legislative fiscal notes attached to the bill estimate the measure would have a not-significant fiscal impact on state and local government.
