BILL HASLAM

April 24, 2015
Dear Lt. Governor Ramsey and Speaker Harwell,

Today I signed House Bill No. 995 into law. Given the considerable attention this issue has received, lam
writing you to explain my reasoning and to ask that we work together to monitor the implementation of
this new law in our local communities.

As you know, I have expressed concerns about changing the law to remove local control of locally-
owned parks, in part because I know community leaders have the best sense of the specific activities
taking place in their parks as well as the unique conditions that exist in and around those areas. Some of
the most sensitive situations state and local leaders must consider are those activities involving school
children. Tenn. Code Ann. 39-17-1309 prohibits guns on property owned or in use by schools or higher
education institutions. However, the original version of HB 1171 authorized guns in all parks
without clarifying that the general prohibition on carrying guns on property in use by schools would
continue to apply in parks.

Our administration raised the need for clarification of this issue during the legislative process, and it
received additional discussion on the floors of the Senate and the House as local school boards weighed
in with concerns. To the sponsors? credit, they were receptive to these concerns, and the final version of
the bill made clear that guns are not allowed at school-related activities taking place in parks.

Overall, I believe the legislation in its final form is a vast improvement from the bill as initially
introduced. However, I am concerned that an unintended consequence may be operational challenges
for local leaders in managing their parks in a safe, effective and consistent manner, due to events and
situations that could not have been anticipated in drafting this law.

I think it is critical going forward that we work together with local leaders to assess the impact of this
law and that we all listen and respond to the questions and concerns ofthose leaders as they work to
implement it successfully.

Sincerely,
(I,

Bill Haslam
Governor

cc: SenatorJohn Stevens
Representative Mike Harrison

STATE CAPITOL 0 NASHVILLE, TN 37243-0001 0 PH: 615.741.2001 0