Tennessee Governor proceeds with special session on public safety and gun violence.

Despite musings of some political pundits in Tennessee, Republican Gov. Bill Lee is determined to hold a special session focused on public safety in August.

In April, Mr. Lee announced the special session after state legislators failed to address his proposal for enhancements to the state’s Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) laws. The governor proposed these changes following the tragic shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, where six lives were lost.

Protests demanding stricter gun laws in Tennessee continued for weeks after the Covenant shooting, resulting in the expulsion of two Democrat lawmakers from the Legislature for their protests on the House floor.

Democrats urged the governor to hold the special session after their own bills failed to make it to the floor for debate. Republicans agreed to a special session on public safety, excluding stricter gun laws.

The official call for the session, as required by statute, has yet to be filed. However, the governor’s office confirmed that the call will be made closer to the start date of the special session, which is set for August 21.

Moving Forward

Mr. Lee is committed to the special session, which he called to “strengthen public safety and preserve constitutional rights.”

“Gov. Lee believes in practical, thoughtful solutions to keep communities safe and protect constitutional rights. He looks forward to engaging with key stakeholders, including the NRA, and collaborating with legislators on proposals in the coming months,” said Mr. Lee’s press secretary Jade Byers.

During the summer, Mr. Lee has been meeting with legislators from both parties to gather their insights on legislative priorities for the upcoming special session.

“We collaborated with the General Assembly to call a special session to discuss meaningful proposals across various policy areas. These proposals aim to strengthen public safety, preserve constitutional rights, prioritize due process protections, support law enforcement, address mental health, and the governor looks forward to continuing productive conversations with lawmakers in the months ahead,” added Ms. Byers.

GOP Pushback

Some members of the governor’s party and gun rights groups in the state have publicly expressed their opposition to the governor’s ERPO proposal, equating it to a “red flag” law.

Red flag laws are laws that remove guns from individuals with concerns about mental health or domestic violence.

Mr. Lee has consistently stated that he does not support red flag laws and that his proposal ensures due process and protects Second Amendment rights in Tennessee.

“Given the circumstances we’re in, it falls under a law that I think is appropriate for our state,” Mr. Lee said at a press conference following the Covenant shooting, responding to a question about whether his proposal should be considered a red flag law.

Leaked Memos Show Dispute with NRA

In private memos obtained by The Epoch Times, the governor’s office expressed strong opposition to the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) proposals allegedly circulating among state legislators at the same time.

The memos, authored by unnamed officials within Mr. Lee’s administration, characterized the NRA’s proposals as broader and a greater threat to due process and the Second Amendment.

These memos were created when the governor proposed the ERPO law in April and are no longer in use, according to his office.

It remains unclear if any additional proposals from the NRA have been presented to lawmakers.

The governor’s office was at odds with the influential gun rights group, highlighting their differing views on the issue.