[extreme01]

In October of 1996, the Department of Safety began issuing handgun carry permits pursuant to Public Chapter 905. Prior to this change, handgun carry permits were issued by local sheriff's offices. Since October 1996, the Department of Safety has issued more than 339,000 handgun carry permits.On November 20, 2009, the Davidson County Chancery Court held that the law allowing Tennessee handgun carry permit holders to carry their handguns into establishments serving alcohol was unconstitutional. As a result, the prior law which prohibited all persons from carrying firearms into establishments serving alcohol is back in effect.