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Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, called the special session and
asked lawmakers to bolster so-called "red flag" laws aimed at
making it more difficult for people deemed to be a threat to the
public or themselves from having access to firearms. He has also
called for measures to address mental health and encourage the
safe storage of firearms.
But Republican lawmakers, who hold a supermajority in both of
Tennessee's legislative chambers, have consistently balked at
the idea of passing new guns laws and showed no signs on Monday
of giving in, saying the changes threaten citizens'
Constitutional right to own firearms.
Instead of addressing gun issues on Monday, lawmakers in the
House passed new rules creating tougher penalties for lawmakers
who break decorum rules while speaking on the House floor.
Hundreds of protesters demanding tougher gun laws arrived at the
Tennessee capitol in Nashville. They were met by some armed
counter-protesters, including members of the far-right Proud
Boys group, who do not want to see any changes.
Lee called the special session in response to the murder of
three children and three staff members at The Covenant School in
March in Nashville.
The shooting triggered intense protests at the state capitol and
led to the expulsion of two Democratic lawmakers after they
helped lead protests from the House floor. The pair have since
been reinstated.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper, a Democrat, said in a written
statement on Monday that "after the tragic murders at The
Covenant School, now is the moment for state lawmakers to turn
statements of sympathy and prayers into action and leadership."
(Reporting by Brad Brooks in Longmont, Colorado; Editing by Mary
Milliken and Stephen Coates)
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