Tennessee's database of state-issued permits to carry loaded handguns would be closed from public inspection under a proposal headed for a full House vote.

The House Judiciary Committee voted 6-4 to advance the measure sponsored by Rep. Eddie Bass, a Prospect Democrat and a retired sheriff.

Bass argued that making the permit information public is a violation of personal privacy.

Frank Gibson, who runs the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, cited several cases where media investigations revealed that felons and other ineligible people held handgun permits.

Gibson told the panel that his group would agree to a provision to ban posting or publishing the entire handgun database, but urged the panel not to close off access to all the information.

On the Net: Read HB0959 at: http://www.capitol.tn.gov