NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — No sooner did the Tennessee General Assembly gavel out did Gov. Bill Lee say he will bring them back to the capitol.
Gov. Lee said he will call for a session on public safety, and his office will release additional details and issue an official call in the coming days. This discussion comes after The Covenant School shooting, where a gunman took the lives of six people, including three 9-year-old children.
"After much input from members of the General Assembly and discussions with legislative leadership, we have decided to call a special session to continue our work to protect Tennessee communities and preserve constitutional rights,” Lee said. "There is broad agreement that dangerous, unstable individuals who intend to harm themselves or others should not have access to weapons. We also share a strong commitment to preserving Second Amendment rights, ensuring due process and addressing the heart of the problem with strengthened mental health resources. I look forward to continued partnership with the General Assembly as we pursue thoughtful, practical solutions to keep Tennesseans safe."
This happened after both Republicans and Democrats had press conferences once they left the regular session for 2023.
Special sessions were a consistent remedy during the COVID-19 crisis, with the legislature having multiple during the pandemic. In 2021, special sessions cost around $30,000 per day, according to the assembly's legislative administration. But a final cost isn't calculated until that session rings out.
A note on special sessions:
- they cannot fundraise while it's happening, just like in a regular session
- there's not minimum length to them, but legislators can have up to 30 days of pay
- they can't consider matters from the last regular session
Why a special session?
The Covenant School shooting created a chain reaction across Middle Tennessee, bringing thousands to the legislature to protest for some kind of gun reform. Legislation on firearms never happened, except legislation that would protect firearms companies from particular lawsuits.
The governor tried to call legislators to take up some sort of legislation on an order of protection (red flag law). Those details came together this week in the form of a legislative package that no one in the Republican supermajority would take up.
As written in the governor's proposal, this would be dubbed as a temporary mental health order of protection. There will be no ex parte, meaning those in question will have to be notified and given the opportunity to stand before a judge. Rep. William Lamberth, R-Portland, told reporters Friday night his copy of that package was full of red ink in changes he would have made had it come before the legislative body.
Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, tried to make it happen in the Senate, but Republicans either voted no or present not voting. Republicans hold a majority in the Senate as well.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Republican leadership said they hoped the governor would come prepared with a package they could work on in a special session. It's not clear if it will be the same proposal he made this week or something different.
