NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee is seventh in the country for homicide by guns according to data from the CDC and TNUnderTheGun.com.
The numbers are leading lawmakers to push for new public health measures and crime prevention bills.
On Tuesday, Tennessee Senator London Lamar and Rep. Justin Jones will host a news conference at 12:45 p.m. to discuss new legislation to combat gun violence through crime prevention initiatives.
Instead of focusing so much on guns, one bill looks at the state's healthcare program.
The proposed legislation would expand Medicaid eligibility to adults with incomes below 138% of the federal poverty according to the fiscal information. The bill is solely to provide gun violence prevention services. Numbers show around 340,000 individuals could become eligible for services under the proposed legislation.
According to CDC, since Jan. 1, there have been 114 shootings in Tennessee, resulting in the deaths of 52 adults and nine children. These shootings have injured 66 adults and 12 children.
Some states have passed laws to allow Medicaid funds to be used on gun violence prevention; however, no states have expanded Medicaid eligibility specifically for gun violence prevention services so Tennessee would be the first if the bill passes.
Lamar and Jones also looking to discuss a bill that looks to address taxation of gun safes and gun safety devices to make it easier for people to get those safety items, and hopefully cut down some of the shooting numbers.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
