Angry voices filled the air as Tennessee House Republicans faced protesters on Tuesday. The reason? They pushed through a bill that would permit certain teachers and staff to have concealed handguns on public school premises, while keeping parents and other teachers in the dark about who is armed.
The bill, passed with a 68-28 vote, now awaits the decision of Republican Gov. Bill Lee. If signed into law, it would mark the most significant increase in gun access in the state since the tragic shooting at a private elementary school in Nashville last year.
Following the vote, members of the public who opposed the bill confronted Republican lawmakers, prompting House Speaker Cameron Sexton to clear the galleries.
Four House Republicans and all Democrats stood against the bill, which had previously been approved by the state Senate. The legislation would prevent the disclosure of which staff members are armed, except to school administrators and law enforcement, withholding this information even from students' parents and fellow teachers. Permission from a principal, school district, and law enforcement agency would be necessary for staff to carry guns.
Under the new regulations approved on Tuesday, any employee wishing to carry a handgun must possess a valid handgun carry permit along with written consent from the school principal and local law enforcement. Additionally, they are required to pass a background check and complete 40 hours of handgun training. Notably, firearms are prohibited at school events held in stadiums, gymnasiums, or auditoriums.
A veto from the Governor is unlikely as it would be unprecedented, and lawmakers could overturn it with a simple majority vote in each chamber.
"The intention behind this legislation is to act as a deterrent," explained Republican state Representative Ryan Williams, the bill's sponsor, prior to the voting. "We have witnessed various challenges across our state in relation to shootings."
Democratic proposals, such as requiring parental consent, mandating notification about armed individuals, and holding the school district liable for any harm caused by staff carrying firearms, were all dismissed by the Republican majority.
"My Republican counterparts persist in using our state as a bargaining chip, catering to the interests of their donors in the firearms industry," criticized Democratic state Representative Justin Jones. "It is morally incomprehensible."
Controversy Erupts Over Bill Allowing Teachers to Carry Guns in Tennessee Schools
Following a heated vote, Democratic and Republican lawmakers traded accusations of rule violations in the House. Ultimately, a reprimand was issued to Jones for recording proceedings on his phone, resulting in a temporary ban on his speaking privileges on the floor until Wednesday.
Should the bill pass into law, its impact on school districts remains uncertain. Metro Nashville Public Schools, for instance, expressed a preference for only allowing approved active-duty law enforcement to carry weapons on campus, highlighting safety concerns.
Currently, approximately half of U.S. states permit teachers and staff with concealed carry permits to have firearms on school premises, as noted by the Giffords Law Center. Recent legislation in Iowa, for instance, enables trained school employees to carry guns under a professional permit that shields them from certain legal liabilities related to the use of force.
The need for such measures was tragically underscored in March 2023 when a shooter unleashed a deadly attack at The Covenant School in Nashville, claiming the lives of three children and three adults before being neutralized by law enforcement.
Despite calls for stricter gun control laws following the Covenant School tragedy, Tennessee lawmakers have thus far rebuffed such proposals. Even Governor Lee's initiatives during regular and special sessions were dismissed, despite emotional pleas from parents of the school's victims recounting the profound impact of the incident.
Tennessee passed a 2016 law allowing armed school workers in two rural counties, but it wasn't implemented, according to WPLN-FM.
Tennessee Republicans have regularly loosened gun laws, including a 2021 permit-less carry law for handguns backed by Lee.
The original law allowed residents 21 and older to carry handguns in public without a permit. Two years later, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti struck a deal amid an ongoing lawsuit to extend eligibility to 18- to 20-year-olds.
Meanwhile, shortly after the shooting last year, Tennessee Republicans passed a law bolstering protections against lawsuits involving gun and ammunition dealers, manufacturers and sellers. Lawmakers and the governor this year have signed off on allowing private schools with pre-kindergarten classes to have guns on campus. Private schools without pre-K already were allowed to decide whether to let people bring guns on their grounds.
They have advanced some narrow gun limitations. One awaiting the governor's signature would involuntarily commit certain criminal defendants for inpatient treatment and temporarily remove their gun rights if they are ruled incompetent for trial due to intellectual disability or mental illness.
Another bill that still needs Senate approval would remove the gun rights of juveniles deemed delinquent due to certain offenses, ranging from aggravated assault to threats of mass violence, until the age of 25.
