According to a memo from Republican Governor Bill Lee’s office on the subject of gun control, those in Lee’s camp believe that it is not possible to contain mental illness, and thus his proposal for red flag laws should be implemented.
One of the memos, obtained via public records request by The Associated Press, claims that Lee accused the National Rifle Association (NRA) of wanting to use involuntary commitment laws “to round up mentally ill people and deprive them of other liberties.”
“Not only is the NRA’s proposal impractical — it would drastically expand the scope of government,” one of the memos reportedly says.
The memo also says that the NRA “does not get at the heart of the problem, as it fails to address unstable individuals who suffer from mental health issues but do not qualify for involuntary commitment to a facility.”
Lee’s plan, on the other hand, is to implement red flag laws, which would also expand the scope of the government. Red flag laws typically allow law enforcement and/or a judge to decide whether a person is mentally unstable, and whether their guns should be taken away from them.
But the NRA argues that Tennessee’s broad civil commitment laws would make it easy for authorities to remove guns from their lawful owners.
In an April 18 call to action, the NRA said:
T. C. A. § 33-6-402 provides for the immediate detention of dangerous individuals experiencing a mental health crisis by a law enforcement officer, physician, psychologist, or certain other designated professionals. This procedure can be utilized when,
(1) a person has a mental illness or serious emotional disturbance, AND
(2) the person poses an immediate substantial likelihood of serious harm… because of the mental illness or serious emotional disturbance,A person detained in this manner is then evaluated to determine whether they meet the criteria for admission to a hospital or treatment resource.
Tennessee could improve access to emergency mental health services. A 2016 report from the Treatment Advocacy Center determined that the Volunteer State ranked 41 out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia in state hospital psychiatric beds per capita.
After taking heat from left-wing activists in the wake of the mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Lee called a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly, which is scheduled for August.
On March 27, Audrey Elizabeth Hale, who identified as transgender, shot and killed six at The Covenant School before being neutralized by police.
“After much input from members of the General Assembly and discussions with legislative leadership, we have decided to call a special session to continue our work to protect Tennessee communities and preserve constitutional rights,” Lee said in a statement.
“There is broad agreement that dangerous, unstable individuals who intend to harm themselves or others should not have access to weapons,” Lee added. “We also share a strong commitment to preserving Second Amendment rights, ensuring due process and addressing the heart of the problem with strengthened mental health resources.”
“I look forward to continued partnership with the General Assembly as we pursue thoughtful, practical solutions to keep Tennesseans safe,” he said.
But the GOP-led Tennessee House isn’t budging on red flag laws.
“Any red flag law is a non-starter for House Republicans,” the House majority party said on Twitter 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.”
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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 Gov. Bill Lee.
““Not only is the NRA’s proposal impractical — it would drastically expand the scope of government,” one of the memos reportedly says.
The memo also says that the NRA “does not get at the heart of the problem, as it fails to address unstable individuals who suffer from mental health issues but do not qualify for involuntary commitment to a facility.””
That’s a particularly galling lie. The Red Flag laws themselves are what would expand the reach of government to an Orwellian level. This is targeted at sane, white, law-abiding men, the ones least likely to commit crimes, who apparently are subject to any and all government over-reach. Ask yourself: will transgenderism be listed as a mental illness to flag gun confiscation? Will employers feel safe to report non-whites who exhibit any mental illness? Even then, will DA’s and judges act? Of course not. This aims at one group and the one least likely to be a problem, because of course it is.
Tennessee has destroyed the Democratic Party here. It is time to sack the GOP and find a party better suited to the wishes and needs of the vast majority of this state.
First, the legislature needs to Red Flag Lee and impeach the sorry S**. He’s gone as it is, a Sundquist redux. The legislators need to go, too, if they don’t hold firm.
The NRA is correct. Transgenderism is a mental illness, too, and a reworking of the committal process to include transgenders would fix the problem.
Mark it: Lee is dancing nasty for some corporate interests that do not ali
Lee should resign and run as anti gun candidate for re election as governor. He did not campaign on this issue. He will not get re elected as governor. I hope the legislature will deny the special session to do away with this non sense. Lee is pandering to the democrats and the real issue is the VIOLENT LGBTQ society.
Are you for taking rights of law abiding Tennesseans?
go home lee…………..
If a Company and Union sign an agreement with “Expressly Stipulated Rights” for the union members,
The Company “CAN NOT” arbitrarily decide to deny those rights to the union members.
That’s Law and the way law works, and it’s the same with the Constitution as the agreement and Government as the Company, Citizens as the Union.
Now if you want to add a “Double Violation” just include the “FACT” that the Constitution “DOES NOT” enumerate power to either State or Federal Government to legislate/regulate our “Rights/Freedoms”, called the “Bill of Rights”.
As a matter of fact, the Constitution was constructed under a “Federalist system” of enumerated powers to prevent government from encroaching on citizens freedoms.
Men of 1776 would already have been stepping over dead bodies to stop what is going on today.
Too bad, we’re fresh out of Men.
Well gee I surely hope so.
If Bill Lee insists on any law to infringe on our 2nd Amendment rights is a breach of his oath of office and perhaps some members of our House should file articles of impeachment against Gov. Lee. Of course none of them have the guts enough to do it but WE THE PEOPLE do not have to comply with any law, EO, regulation that violates our Constitution (Nullification) or any law, EO, regulation WE THE PEOPLE feel is unjust. It just takes citizens to organize and REFUSE TO COMPLY. Join us at: tncss.substack.com (TN Citizens for State Sovereignty) – Register and read the 2 post we create so far on Nullification and Anti Commandeering. We also have a wbsite: tncss.weebly.com – it is time for the people to exercise their authority. WE are the authority not the state or federal government.
It’s not about the gun, or the knife, or the SUV, or the rock, or the fists, or the…, or the… It’s about the person using them to do harm to others or themselves. What is so hard to understand about this? If you’re going to take away the gun, how about the knife? the SUV?, the rock?, the fists? the? the? If the person is that unstable then the ONLY solution is to get them the psychiatric help they need, even if that means involuntary detainment. Period. Full stop.
Lenin, Stalin and Hitler had the same thinking as Lee’s Camp.
The idiots just told Tennessee they have no control over the LGBTQ murders and terrorists and their mentally lopsided attitudes.
Looks like anything goes to take America and Tennessee down the road to Communism and Fascism.
Perhaps Lee would prefer the title of King?
Will Lee and his camp take responsibility for the increase in crime their policies bring to Tennessee.
He should study what Patrick Henry said regarding the Constitution.
Lee stated:
“After much input from members of the General Assembly and discussions with legislative leadership, we have decided to call a special session to continue our work to protect Tennessee communities and preserve constitutional rights,”
That sure does not line up with what I am hearing from the legislators that I know. A couple of which are in leadership positions. Lee is lying about this. I do not know his motives but they sure do not match what the majority of Tennesseans want. He should wisely call off the special session.
Governor Lee only pretends to support any Red Flag law. He is really in cahoots with his fellow right-wingers in the Legislature, but wants to gaslight the leftists and liberals by attempting to trick them into thinking he is their born-again “friend!”