Governor Bill Lee must make gun safety training a priority

Gary Turner, Guest Columnist Published 6:19 p.m. CT May 8, 2019 CLOSE From traffic stops to robberies, police come across guns across Nashville. Nashville TennesseanWhen someone wants to get a license to drive a car, they have to prove they can operate a vehicle safely. It would be ludicrous to give someone a driver’s license after only watching an online video.Story HighlightsGary Turner, an NRA-certified firearms instructor. is director of training at Sumner Gun & Supply.Tennessee lawmakers in the House and Senate recently passed HB1264/SB705[1] which creates a new concealed carry permit without the live-fire training that is currently required.If this becomes law, all someone would have to do to get a permit to carry is pay $65 and watch a 90-minute online video. This bill will soon be sent to the governor for him to either sign into law or veto. As a gun safety instructor, I know how important gun safety training is, so I urge Governor Lee to veto this dangerous bill.I believe this legislation is terribly misguided and would make Tennessee a more dangerous place to live. I’ve been a firearms instructor for many years, but it doesn’t take a gun safety expert to understand how dangerous it would be to remove live-fire training from the handgun carry permit.The legislation potentially places Tennesseans at riskBuy PhotoGary Turner, director of training at Sumner Gun & Supply, LLC, spoke at a press conference organized by gun-control advocates against a Tennessee bill that would reduce training for obtaining a concealed handgun permit. Cordell Hull Building, Nashville. April 24, 2019. (Photo: David Plazas | The Tennessean)Live-fire training is critical to making sure that people who carry guns in our state know how to load and fire that weapon properly and safely. When someone wants to get a license to drive a

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