In the wake of a recent school shooting and tensions around gun control legislation, Tennessee's Republican Governor Bill Lee is calling on the state's General Assembly to pass new firearm restrictions to ensure public safety. During a press conference, Lee requested a robust order of protection law, which aims to safeguard the general public from individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others. The governor expressed his hope that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle could collaborate on this issue before the current legislative session concludes.
The details of the proposed order of protection are still under discussion, and it remains to be seen whether the GOP-dominated Tennessee House and Senate will address the issue.
Governor Lee emphasized the need for genuine solutions and expressed his commitment to working with the General Assembly to achieve them. He also announced plans to sign an executive order that would strengthen background checks for firearms, setting a 72-hour window for reporting new criminal activities. The order would also mandate that courts provide timely and accurate information to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations (TBI) and direct the TBI to review the information-sharing process during gun purchases, making adjustments if necessary.
Previously, Lee had proposed improved school safety legislation and a budget that allocated funds for enhancing school security. The governor's renewed push for gun control follows the tragic Nashville school shooting in late March, which claimed the lives of three children and three adults. This incident marked the 19th school or university shooting in the past three months where at least one individual was injured. The Gun Violence Archive reports that there have been at least 147 mass shootings this year. The issue of gun control gained further national attention after another mass shooting occurred in neighboring Kentucky, leaving five dead.
The debate around gun control in Tennessee has been particularly intense, as evidenced by the recent expulsion of two Democratic state representatives following a bullhorn-led protest on the House floor.
