NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Republican lawmakers in Tennessee cleared a major hurdle Tuesday with a proposal to allow some trained teachers and educators who have not worked in law enforcement to carry handguns on school grounds, a move that would mark one of the largest expansions of would mark access to guns in the state for a year. deadly shooting at an elementary school last year.
The proposal cleared the Republican Party-controlled chamber amid emotional chanting and shouting from protesters against the legislation, many of whom were eventually ordered to leave the Senate galleries after ignoring warnings to remain quiet.
After a 26-5 vote in the Senate, the proposal is now ready for a vote in the House of Representatives. If passed, the proposal would not make public which employees carry weapons, including to parents of students and even other teachers.
‘I am angry. My child is at risk under this bill,” Democratic state Sen. London Lamar said as she held her eight-month-old son in her arms. “This bill is dangerous and teachers don’t want it. Nobody wants it.”
Senate President Randy McNally, a Republican, cleared the galleries after many in the audience refused to calm down even as he repeatedly punched them for disrupting the debate. In the nearly fifteen minutes it took to clear the audience and continue the debate, they continued to chant, “Vote them out;” “No more silence, end gun violence;” and “Kill the bill, not the kids.”
The heated debate comes nearly a year after a gunman opened indiscriminate fire at The Covenant School last March, killing three children and three adults before he was fatally shot by police. But despite sweeping, coordinated efforts to convince Tennessee’s Republican-dominant state House to pass major gun control measures in response to the shooting, lawmakers have largely rejected such calls. They have rejected proposals on the subject from Democrats — and even one from the Republican governor — during regular annual sessions and a special session.
Only a handful of Republican Party supporters spoke in favor of the bill, emphasizing that teachers would not be required to be armed or use their weapons in active shooter situations.
“We’re not trying to shoot a student, we’re trying to protect students,” said Republican Sen. Ken Yager.
If the bill passes, a school district and a law enforcement agency could enter into a written agreement to allow certain school personnel to carry weapons. The employee who wishes to carry a handgun must have a handgun permit, written permission from both the school principal and local police, pass a background check and complete 40 hours of handgun training.
“We are sending teachers to learn how to handle a combat situation that experienced law enforcement officers may find difficult to understand,” said Democratic state Sen. Jeff Yarbro. “We let people do that with a week of training,” he said.
The lengthy criteria is in stark contrast to the Tennessee Republican Party’s push to loosen gun laws over the years, including endorsing permit-free carry of handguns in 2021.
Recently, Republicans in the House of Representatives advanced a proposal out of committee that would expand the state’s gun-carry law to include long guns.
The original law allowed residents 21 and older to carry handguns in public without a permit. But two years later, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti struck a deal during an ongoing lawsuit that allowed 18- to 20-year-olds to carry handguns in public. The bill passed Monday is slowly making its way through the state House, but still must clear the full chambers of the House and Senate.
Meanwhile, Republicans in Tennessee passed a law last year that strengthens protections against lawsuits involving gun and ammunition dealers, manufacturers and sellers. This year, they are waiting for the governor’s decision on a bill that would allow private schools with kindergarten classes to have guns on campus.
In addition, Republicans are calling for an amendment to the “right to keep, bear and bear Arms” in the Tennessee Constitution, which would broaden the right beyond defense and remove a section that allows lawmakers to “bear of weapons for the purpose of preventing crime’. .” If approved, it wouldn’t come up for a vote until 2026.