Tennessee Lawmakers Pass Bill That Allows Concealed Carry For School Staff

Lawmakers in Tennessee have approved a measure that permits school staff to carry concealed handguns on school grounds. The bill now awaits the governor’s decision. The move comes one year after a tragic shooting incident claimed the lives of six individuals at a Nashville school.

The Tennessee House passed the legislation 68-28, with four Republicans breaking ranks to join all the Democrats in opposition. The state Senate, also controlled by the GOP, had previously approved the bill.

State Rep. Ryan Williams (R) spoke in favor of the bill, emphasizing school safety. In the House session, Williams stated, “I believe that this is a method by which we can do that because what you’re doing is you’re creating a deterrent.” 

Under the proposed legislation, faculty and staff members who wish to carry concealed handguns on school premises must complete at least 40 hours of specialized training in school policing each year.

In the floor proceedings, protesters in the gallery chanted, “Blood on your hands,” in opposition to the measure. State Rep. Bo Mitchell (D) voiced his concerns and cited the tragic Covenant School shooting in Nashville last year, where three children and three adults lost their lives. Mitchell criticized the response of arming more individuals, “This is what we’re going to do. This is our reaction to teachers and children being murdered in a school; our reaction is gonna throw more guns at it. What’s wrong with us?” 

State Sen. Paul Bailey (R), the bill’s sponsor in the upper chamber, did not respond to the vote.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R)’s decision will determine the bill’s fate. Lee can sign the bill, allow it to become law without his signature, or veto it. Throughout his tenure, Lee has not vetoed any legislation.

Tennessee joins a list of states that have enacted similar laws that permit teachers to carry firearms. According to the Giffords Law Center, a gun violence prevention group, at least 26 states have implemented legislation permitting teachers or other school employees to possess guns on school grounds, albeit with certain exceptions.

The Tennessee Legislature was in the news last year when it expelled two black members who staged a gun-violence protest on the state House floor. Both men were quickly reelected by their voters to the body.