NASHVILLE — A lawmaker sponsoring legislation allowing handguns to be carried in local parks said today he has “cut a deal” with Gov. Phil Bredesen in which he will drop the provision in exchange for the governor agreeing not to veto another bill affecting guns in establishments selling alcohol.

Rep. Frank Nicely, R-Strawberry Plains, said that under the agreement the Legislature will recall his guns-in-parks bill and eliminate a section that allows handgun-carry permit holders to go armed in city and county parks.

The Nicely bill still would allow permit holders to go armed in state parks.

In exchange, Rep. Nicely said, Gov. Bredesen, a Democrat, agreed not to veto another bill related to the bill allowing permit holders to go armed in establishments selling alcohol.

“We’re taking out the local parks in return for the governor’s commitment not to veto any more gun bills,” Rep. Nicely said. “The governor’s goal is the same as my goal. We want our children and wives to be safe. I think they’re safer by not creating safe havens for criminals.”

Gov. Bredesen recently vetoed a bill allowing permit holders to bring their weapons into establishments selling alcohol provided they did not drink and the establishment did not post signs banning guns.

Gun rights proponents easily overrode Gov. Bredesen’s veto. But faced with threats by Nashville to use its beer board to deny beer permits to such establishments, lawmakers plan to amend another bill preventing such a move.

Earlier in the day, the Web site Post Politics reported that the Tennessee Firearms Association sent out an alert that Gov. Bredesen planned to veto the parks bill unless it was changed. The bill had a provision say permit holders could go armed in local parks unless a city or county government specifically exempted the park from the law’s application.

For complete details, see tomorrow's Chattanooga Times Free Press.