The Tennessee House last week approved legislation designed to protect the privacy of citizens related to firearm ownership. Republican lawmakers say this bill is similar to the protections guaranteed by the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), House Bill 1171, also known as the Firearm Information Privacy Protection Act (FIPPA), will protect Tennesseans who are exercising their right to own and purchase firearms.
This legislation will create a Class A misdemeanor for any public personnel that intentionally discloses information about an owner of a firearm for the purpose of compiling a federal firearms registry or confiscation of firearms. The bill will create a cause of action for a gun owner to pursue civil action against an individual that releases information about gun ownership to facilitate any federal government effort to confiscate or register firearms.
House Bill 1171 is expected to be heard for consideration in the Senate chamber this week. If passed there, it will go to Governor Bill Lee’s desk for his signature.
