The first bills for the upcoming special session of the General Assembly, officially scheduled Tuesday by Gov. Bill Lee (R), have been filed.
The special session begins on August 21, but according to the General Assembly’s website, legislation is already in the works.
State Representative Dwayne Thompson (D-Cordova) filed HB7001, which mandates that courses required to obtain a concealed handgun carry permit include training on how to use gun locks.
State Representative William Lamberth (R-Portland) filed HB7002, which directs school districts to plan how students should evacuate a school should a fire alarm sound outside of a normal fire drill.
Lamberth also filed HB7003, which would allow victims of aggravated stalking and especially aggravated stalking to file lifetime protection orders against the perpetrators of those crimes.
These protection orders are different from “order of protection” laws, also known as red flag laws, that Lee has suggested.
HB7004, also introduced by Lambert, says that if a person is taken to a mental health facility by a law enforcement entity, the mental health facility is required to notify the law enforcement agency upon the person’s release from the facility.
None of the bills filed so far broach the topic of red flag laws, which is expected to be the subject of intense debate during the session.
Elected Republicans have vowed that no red flag laws will be passed during the session.
“Any red flag law is a non-starter for House Republicans,” the House majority party said in April. “Our caucus is focused on finding solutions that prevent dangerous individuals from harming the public and preserve the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. We have always been open to working with Governor Lee on measures that fit within that framework.”
Lee has found allies in Democrats in the General Assembly who support his call for red flag laws.
“It really is starting to feel like we’re on the same team,” Raumesh Akbari, the Democratic minority leader of the Tennessee State Senate, told NBC in May. “It has been fascinating to see him break from his caucus, from his party, given that they have not been willing to embrace the possibility of gun safety legislation, especially after what happened at Covenant.”
The special session was called in response to a mass shooting at The Covenant School in March, where six people were killed.
Audrey Elizabeth Hale, the perpetrator of the shooting who identified as transgender and was killed by police at the scene, left a manifesto behind. That manifesto has not been released, and no motive has been established for the killings.
The Star News Network has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seeking the public release of the manifesto.
The Star has also filed a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County seeking the same.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
Photo “Bill Lee” by Bill Lee. Background Photo “Tennessee House of Representatives Chamber” by Antony-22. CC BY-SA 4.0.
Undoubtedly social agitators are going to flock to Nashville for “Billy’s Really
Big Show”. This will be a boon for Nashville Travel, Lodging, and Entertainment
industries. Several events and galas have been scheduled around this venue.
This will be a chance for certain elements to try again to deface and destroy
Andy and Rachel Jackson’s Burial Site, as they did once before. I hope they
double the guard there against that attempt.
East – West travelers on I-40 are once again advised to take the Nashville
Bypass during this period, I-840 (SR-840).
Bill Lee has no interest at all in promoting gun safety legislation. He is trying to trick liberals and Democrats into thinking he is on their side, but he will capitulate all the time to right-wing Republicans because, truth be told, he is secretly in cahoots with them.
Moved to TN last year as I believed this state would protect my 2A rights. Now Bill Lee is pushing this leftist agenda partnering with Dems to take away our rights. The government can not be trusted and red flag laws are ripe for being abused. Bill Lee is a leftist tool. Sorry I wasted my first vote in this state on him.
Not one of these Bills would have prevented Muss Audry Hale from strapping on numerous weapons headed into a Christian school to KILL PEOPLE & commit suicide by cop.
If her therapist knew she was a danger to herself & others, she was already required by Federal Law to have Audry committed to a facility for treatment.
I find it hard to believe that her therapist could not have known how dangerous Audry was. If she had known, & followed the Federal Law, then, maybe this tragedy would not have happened. But we don’t know because the FBI doesn’t think the people, who could have been her victims, need to know what was going on in her head. The FBI has said the evidence, which may shed light on the reason for such a horrific act, is none of our business. What did the therapist know?
Is someone protecting her therapist? Or treatment clinic? I hope the Republicans who are sponsoring these useless Bills, get Primaried in the 2024 election. Shame on them.
This session is ridiculous. How can a special session be called to address shooting when the information to motive has not been released. Why has the not been released? How can this even be taken seriously?. Everyone knows it a red flag law. Lee now has new- found friends in the democrat party. This is a Biden and friends take-over attempt in TN. Republican lawmakers you better stand your ground because the enemy is at the gate. Be prepared for some major heat and a whole ton of “protesters” aka paid agitators heading your way.
Bill Lee gets more disappointing by the day.
HB7001- gun lock training. feel good legislation. Gun locks are so easy to use it’s an insult to ones intelligence to be shown how to use one. What percentage of handgun owners apply for a CHP these days? If I kept a handgun next to my bed at night, it sure wouldn’t have a trigger lock on it. “Excuse me, would you mind waiting while I unlock my gun?” I believe all new handgun sales include a lock from the factory. But on the other hand if handguns were secured in the home there would be far less likelihood of someone accidentally shooting someone. This issue goes to the level of intelligence possessed by the adult. The cost to the government to provide free of charge handgun storage boxes would far out weigh the costs associated with dealing with a shooting after the fact.
HB7002- if a fire alarm sounds the SOP is to evacuate the building. In an active shooter situation you are supposed to hide behind a locked door. Not something you should do if the building is on fire. Better get your alarms straight.
HB7003 lifetime protection orders against the perpetrators of those crimes. Criminals already ignore protection orders. I hear it on the sheriffs scanner frequency. I don’t believe making it lifetime will make much difference.
HB0004 the mental health facility is required to notify the law enforcement agency upon the person’s release from the facility. Good.
Many of us have made this statement in the past; we need to enforce the laws we already have including stronger penalties for law breakers. The left’s soft on crime policies are the greatest threat to public safety.
Lamberth’s solution to Lee’s temporary red flag law is to make it permanent and then tell people that its not a red flag law? How do these people get elected?
If everyone is a special kind of mentally ill then no one is mentally ill. The level of evil being supported by Democrats, academics and media is mind numbing.