The Tennessee General Assembly is taking decisive action to solve the pressing issues facing residents of our state.

The economy nationally is in shambles, universities and local school systems face mounting deficits, and employees — in the private and public sectors — face the prospect of being laid off.

Washington has extended a two-year lifeline that may put off a few of the more draconian budget cuts but that leaves in place spending that needs to be curtailed.

Unfortunately, as you read these words, those issues remain unresolved.

The more pressing issue, under the direction of the National Rifle Association, a Washington-based lobbying group, is to approve a series of handgun measures.

The ouster of Rep. Jimmy Naifeh, D-Covington, as speaker of the House of Representatives removed a long-standing roadblock to passing the gun bills. But so there is no misimpression that only Republicans, who now control the House and Senate, single-handedly pushed these measures, there are Democrats on board as well.

Legislation stalled for years in the General Assembly to allow gun permit holders to carry weapons until 11 p.m. into restaurants selling alcohol, provided the carriers do not drink. One assumes that a new requirement to work in such an establishment is to check at the door who is packing a gun, put them in the no-drinking section, and make sure they do not stray outside those boundaries.

Weapons would be allowed in state, city and county parks, too.

But the issue that has rallied the gun supporters and brought in the well-heeled Washington lobbyists is closing state records that allow public access to the names of handgun permit holders.

The argument used in other states where the records have been made confidential is that criminals will be scouring the list to determine who has a handgun. The would-be assailant has to have access to a computer to view the list on the Web site of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, which posted the records.

Supporters of closing the handgun records here use this as a rallying point.

The Shelby County newspaper published the handgun permit list after a parking lot argument that left one motorist shot dead. The newspaper’s decision to post the list resulted in a well-orchestrated opposition campaign (turnabout is fair play) and a series of more than 12 bills filed in the Tennessee legislature.

The classic entanglement of the First and Second amendments puts free speech and press advocates on a crash course with those who stand on the right to bear arms.

Twenty-eight states have a provision that seals gun permit records, while 12 do not. Wisconsin does not allow a citizen to possess a gun. Others have something in between.

Virginia recently approved a bill to seal gun permit records but left the door ajar. A citizen would be permitted to view individual records at Commonwealth circuit courts but not at the Department of Safety.

In Tennessee the lines are starkly drawn, with little common ground between the two sides. And neither side wants to budge from well-defined, well-entrenched positions. All-or-nothing propositions typically end up with bad policy; that is the case once more in Tennessee.

With the handgun dust settling, Tennesseans who are unemployed, facing layoffs, or struggling to make a house payment, feed their children or keep the doors of their small businesses open can feel reassured that the Tennessee General Assembly has the “right” priorities.

At least when you go out to dinner and alcohol is served, you will know what that “thunk” is when the person next to you or behind you slides into a seat.

That should be somewhat stimulating — at least from a conversational point of view.

To reach Tom Griscom, call (423) 757-6472 or e-mail tgriscom@timesfreepress.com.