NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Lawmakers Debate Number Of Proposals

Lawmakers Debate Number Of Proposals

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - State lawmakers have a number of proposals before them during this session that include capping lottery winnings for welfare recipients, a four-day school week and firearms.

For weeks the House has debated State Representative Johnny Shaw's bill that would let judges bear firearms.

"Bear firearms with the necessary training from the academy, that's what this bill ever was about," said Shaw.

Some lawmakers wanted to expand the bill to include state lawmakers. State Representative Henry Fincher argued that lawmakers could be endangered because of the public positions they take.

The bill passed without Fincher's amendment.

Lawmakers are also debating another issue whether lottery winnings should be capped if the person was on public assistance.

"One you shouldn't be playing the lottery," said State Representative Stacey Campfield.

Campfield pushed a bill that would cap winnings at $600 if a person was on public assistance.

"I hope these people actually save that money, instead of blowing it on lottery tickets, and actually do something with it, reinvest it in themselves, heaven forbid they actually buy their own children food," said Campfield.

The debate will continue on Campfield's bill next week.

Some lawmakers are getting behind a bill that would allow local school boards the chance to move to a four-day school week, if they want to.

"This bill purports to put that into the law," said State Representative Mark Maddox.

The thought was that the bill could save some school districts money in these tough times.

"Does it need to be used for emergency situations, where we have high costs, to be able to give boards the options to save money, if it actually does. This bill is really a discussion starter," said Maddox.

In Tennessee schools have to be in session at least 180 days. If the four-day school week went into effect the school year would lengthen.

State lawmakers will continue to look into these issues and several more in the next few weeks.