NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — While Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee hasn't publicly appeared during the special session, House Republicans said he has now decided to throw his support behind 12 bills.
The governor's original legislative package contained three bills the Senate agreed with. The Senate has passed those three bills. It's not clear whether the Senate will reopen committees or participate in signing on to the additional bills. Right now, the Senate and House are at an impasse with the House passing bills that the Senate may not even take up.
"As we’ve said, Gov. Lee has been in constant communication with members of the General Assembly and continues to offer his full support as the legislative process moves forward," spokesperson Elizabeth Johnson said. "Most recently, our office provided a list of bills to the speakers of both chambers to help facilitate conversations in the days ahead."
Since calling the special session in April, the Governor has worked with legislators for months to bring forward a number of public safety solutions. We’re encouraged that several of the Governor’s proposals are moving in both chambers."
The governor has no public events scheduled in Middle Tennessee this week. Rather than being at the capitol during special session, the governor is traveling to community colleges in Jackson, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.
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Here's what House leaders say the governor is now supporting.
HB7002
This bill would expand the alarm system on school properties so students and faculty realize the difference between fire, weather and active shooter alarms. This is a direct correlation from The Covenant School shooting, where three students entered the hallway on the premise the school was experiencing a fire alarm. That is where they encountered the shooter.
HB7003
This would allow stalking victims to obtain lifetime order of protection from the people who have previously hurt them.
HB7007
This would render children's autopsies — who died of violent crimes — no longer a public record. This is in response to The Covenant School shooting. Those records were released to media outlets, though no outlet in Nashville media has released them. It also wouldn't prevent the publishing of those records since they were public at the time of their release.
HB7008
This bill expands “duty to report” requirements for mental health professionals who would be required to notify authorities of a patient who may be a threat for committing an act of violence against an unspecified group of people, such as a school. Right now, the law only requires reporting if the patient communicates an intent to harm a clearly identified individual. In addition, it requires reporting if the professional believes the patient “has the apparent ability to commit such an act,” even if the professional isn’t convinced that the patient is “likely to carry out the threat unless prevented from doing so.”
HB7012
This would allow the Department of Safety to provide free firearm locks to Tennessee residents. This is a program that already exists in some fashion. The Senate has already passed this.
HB7013
This would narrow the window from 30 days to 72 hours that court clerks must notify the disposition of criminal proceedings to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
HB7023
This bill could give that decision-making to solely law enforcement — not a superintendent — to place an SRO in a school that doesn't have one. The bill's language said this could only happen if there is no memorandum of understanding between the school district and the lead law enforcement agency. So far — this problem doesn't even exist in Tennessee.
HB7027
This would require the state to pay for the cost of court-ordered mental health evaluation and treatment for criminal defendants who have been charged with a misdemeanor and are believed to be incompetent to stand trial. It passed 89-1 in the House. The Senate has not considered it.
HB7034
This would increase penalties for stalking-related crimes. It would raise from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony knowingly violating an order of protection or a restraining order issued due to domestic abuse when based on stalking; raises the classification range for stalking from a Class A misdemeanor or Class E felony to a Class E or D felony; raises the classification of aggravated stalking from a Class E to a Class D felony; requires a court to order a mental health assessment of a defendant's need for mental health treatment if convicted of a stalking offense, at cost to the defendant unless indigent; requires the sentence to include the defendant undergoing treatment and monitoring of drug intake if the assessment indicates that the defendant is in need of and amenable to treatment.
HB7041
This would require the TBI to create a human trafficking report. This has already passed both chambers.
HB7063
This bill would allows school districts and public charter schools to employ retired law enforcement officers and honorably discharged veterans as school resource officers if the person completes basic law enforcement training.
HB7070
This bill is the finance piece for the special session and its bills.
HB7071
This requires the TBI to report on the numbers of mass shootings that occur in the state, but it specifically excludes mass shootings that involve domestic disputes or gang activity from the annual count. It passed 75-15 by the House. Senate has not considered it.
HB7072
It directs the Administrative Office of the Courts to develop a centralized system for collection and reporting of all state and local court public case-level data.
HB7073
It would provides that juveniles, age 16 and up, will be transferred to adult court to be tried for murder or attempted murder. Creates “blended sentencing” procedures for juvenile judges to be able to maintain control over offenders up to age 24.
HB7081
This would expand the information a person with knowledge of a threat of mass violence must report to the local law enforcement agency to the person making the threat.
