As outcry from students and other local gun reform activists continues more than a week after six people were shot dead at the Covenant School, Tennessee lawmakers are deferring action on gun legislation. Meanwhile, three Democratic legislators who’ve been outspoken advocates for change could now be expelled from office.
On Tuesday morning, just a day after thousands of protesters gathered outside the capitol, the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee postponed hearing a bill, SB1503, that would decrease the age for permitless carry in Tennessee from 21 to 18. Then in the afternoon, the Senate Judiciary Committee pushed hearing three gun-related bills to the 2024 legislative session.
One of those bills, SB1325, would have allowed teachers and other school employees across the state to carry concealed handguns on campus.
Another, SB1029 by Democratic Sen. Jeff Yarbro, would have required safe storage of guns. And Yarbro said he had plans to attach a red flag law to the bill. On Twitter, the lawmaker writes that he’ll still try to get that bill or a similar piece of legislation to the floor.
The TN Senate Judiciary Committee just voted to postpone consideration of all firearms legislation until 2024. That includes my SB 1029 with @CalebHemmer for safe storage, as well as our draft legislation to establish Extreme Risk Protection Orders (red flag law).
Pathetic.
— Jeff Yarbro (@yarbro) April 4, 2023
Business owner Whitney Kimerling attended the committee meeting. She came with a new bipartisan, grassroots group called Tennessee Alliance for Gun Safety. Formed in the aftermath of the Covenant School shooting, she said they are committed to getting extreme risk protection orders passed.
When the committee rolled the gun-related bills to next year, Kimerling said the group was disappointed, but not discouraged.
“In fact, we’re hopeful that this signals that our legislators are hearing voters who are speaking out on both sides of the aisle in favor of enhanced gun safety,” said Kimerling.
Three Democrats could be expelled
While lawmakers are deferring gun-related legislation, they haven’t taken their time to punish three elected Democrats who say they were “lifting up” the demands of the protestors, both parents and kids. On Monday, GOP members voted to move forward with the process of removing the trio. In response, those in attendance began chanting “fascist” toward the Republican members who voted unanimously.
Some House members began recording the incident from their phones — Rep. Justin Jones being one of them. As he approached the space where Rep. Justin Lafferty, R-Knoxville, was standing, a physical confrontation erupted.
“Justin Lafferty, the representative from Knoxville, a Republican representative, pushed me, grabbed my phone and tried to incite violence,” Jones said.
Lafferty denies Jones’s account. The Knoxville Republican released a statement the morning after.
Jones says he’s filed a police report against Lafferty for assault.
The final vote on whether the lawmakers will be expelled takes place Thursday during the House session at 9 a.m.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM