Tennessee’s Republican Trifecta Failed to Prevent Chaos in Special Session.
Months of intense debate in the Tennessee Legislature over gun control following the tragic Covenant School shooting reached a dramatic conclusion on Tuesday, Aug. 29. Both chambers wrapped up their business in a special session called by Republican Gov. Bill Lee.
The session, which was prompted by the shooting that claimed the lives of three adults and three children, was officially focused on public safety. Gov. Lee outlined a specific set of legislation that could be proposed during the session.
While the governor’s call provided 18 possible priorities for lawmakers to consider, the state Senate decided on the first day of the session to only pass a few bills. None of these bills addressed gun ownership in the state, which was a demand from Democrats and the Covenant School families.
Leaders in the House and Senate, where Republicans hold a supermajority, clashed with each other and the governor. Infighting caused as much dysfunction as the fights between the parties.
On Tuesday morning, the Senate made it clear that they would only pass three bills and an appropriations bill to fund the special session and other safety enhancements. This decision limited the state House of Representatives, which had planned to debate multiple pieces of legislation on the calendar.
The Senate adjourned until January, followed by the House, but not without verbal and physical altercations on the House floor.
Dysfunctional House
Despite the efforts of Democrats and Republicans in the House, who proposed over 100 bills during the special session, substantial debate on the proposed legislation was overshadowed by politics, protests, censure, and a court injunction in Nashville.
On the first day of the session, House Republicans passed rules that clarified the consequences of a lawmaker being ruled out of order twice in one day. This rule change was a direct response to three Democrats being ruled out of order for disrupting proceedings in March after the school shooting.
The outburst by the Democrats, who were advocating for gun control, resulted in a vote of expulsion for the members. Only one of the three was spared expulsion.
The other two lawmakers, Reps. Justin Jones of Nashville and Justin Pearson of Memphis, were quickly reinstated by their local governments and officially reelected in special elections in August.
The rules also included a ban on holding copy paper-sized signs in the House gallery and committee rooms. Democrats criticized these rules as limiting free speech and debate, sparking controversy throughout the special session.
Injunctions and Censure
In committee meetings the day after the new rules were passed, state troopers were called to remove three women from a committee room for holding small signs.
Shortly after, the women became the subject of a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against House Speaker Cameron Sexton. A judge issued an injunction on the sign ban, allowing signs to return the following morning.
House leadership attempted to overturn the injunction, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The rule on consequences for disrupting proceedings also sparked controversy, leading to a physical altercation and the silencing of a Democratic representative.
Senate Draws Line in Sand
Republicans in the Senate clashed with the governor and the speaker from the beginning. One member even called for the special session to adjourn just minutes after it began.
In the following days, the Senate’s committee meetings and floor sessions were short, some lasting only a few minutes. Leaders in the Senate made it clear that they would only pass three bills, and they followed through with that decision.
The laws passed include a public safety campaign and distribution of free firearm locks, a bill shortening the notification period for local courts to inform the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation about criminal proceedings, and a bill requiring the TBI to provide an annual report on child and human trafficking in the state.
A fourth bill related to appropriations allows for funding expenses for the special session, as well as grants for mental health agencies and school safety grants.
Claims of Assault on Final Day
The House was in disarray at the beginning of the session, and the contentious relationships within the body only escalated. Fiery speeches and claims of physical assault were made as the House debated adjourning.
A Republican representative claimed to have been plowed through by a Democrat on the floor. Video footage showed a physical altercation and tense moments as both sides tried to calm their members down.
In a press conference following adjournment, Democrats accused Republican leadership of pushing them physically. One representative even accused the speaker of being a “white supremacist” and considered pressing charges.
Despite the chaos, a vote of no confidence in the speaker was not taken up before adjournment.
Gun Rights Group Claims Victory
The Tennessee Firearms Association, which opposed the special session, celebrated the lack of legislation passed as a victory for gun owners in the state. They believe that the multitude of proposed gun control measures from both parties highlights the importance of protecting Second Amendment rights.
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