David Hatley

Where Hatley stands

Second Amendment

Tennessee has a permitless-carry exception bolted onto a statute that still presumes carrying is a crime. I don’t think a constitutional right should work that way. As governor I’d support rewriting that law so lawful handgun carry by law-abiding adults is the default, with restrictions that are specific, narrow, and consistent with Bruen, and I’d sign legislation codifying what the three-judge panel unanimously held in Hughes v. Lee.

Medical Cannabis

I will make a comprehensive, state-regulated medical cannabis program a priority of my 2027 legislative agenda, with physician oversight, a patient registry, and testing and labeling standards. I will work with lawmakers of both parties to get it through the legislature, and I will sign it. As an independent, I am not bound by the party politics that have kept this bill stuck year after year.