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VOL. 36 | NO. 31 | Friday, August 3, 2012
Statewide
Haslam: Too soon to tell on parking lot guns bill
NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam says it's too early to tell whether the defeat of House Republican Caucus Chairwoman Debra Maggart in last week's primary will cause lawmakers to usher through a gun bill championed by the National Rifle Association.
The NRA poured more than $86,000 into the Maggart race, claiming she was instrumental in blocking legislation to guarantee employees the right to store weapons in vehicles parked at work, regardless of businesses' wishes.
Haslam has said he supports the measure, but only with exceptions built in for large employers. The NRA wants a more blanket ban on keeping guns from being stored in parking lots.
The governor said responses from lawmakers to NRA's role in the Maggart race range from anger to calls for a quick resolution on the bill.