Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday urged the state’s legislature to pass additional gun control measures, an especially charged subject in a state that recently suffered a school shooting and the acrimonious expulsion of two Black Democratic lawmakers who called for greater firearm restrictions.
“I’m asking the General Assembly to bring forward an order of protection law. A new strong order of protection law will provide the broader population cover, safety, from those who are a danger to themselves or the population,” Lee said at a news conference, adding that he would like legislators to pass the legislation within the current legislative session, which ends in a few weeks.
The governor said specifics for the order of protection plan had yet to be determined but encouraged lawmakers from both parties to work together on the matter.
It is unclear if the Tennessee House and Senate, which are both GOP-led by a wide margin, will bring up the matter. CNN has reached out to the state’s Senate majority leader and House speaker for comment.
“We should be very serious about real solutions and about getting real solutions across the finish line and I look forward to working with the General Assembly to do just that,” Lee said. “It is possible to get this done. We should work to set aside our differences and accomplish something that Tennesseans want us to get accomplished.”
Lee signaled that he plans to sign an executive order strengthening the state’s gun background checks by setting a 72-hour clock for new criminal activity. Lee said it will also ensure courts will provide timely and accurate information to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations.
The executive order will also require the TBI to analyze the current process for sharing information during the process of buying a gun so changes can be made if necessary,…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply