Nashville, Tennessee – The Tennessee House passed a bill on Tuesday that would permit school staff to carry concealed handguns on school premises. This decision comes a year after a tragic incident at a Nashville school where a shooter took the lives of six individuals.
The legislation was approved by a 68-28 vote in the Tennessee House, with some Republicans crossing party lines to oppose the measure. The state Senate, also under GOP control, had passed the bill earlier in the month.
Republican state Rep. Ryan Williams justified the bill by stating that it would enhance school safety, emphasizing that allowing concealed carry could act as a deterrent. The bill requires faculty and staff who wish to carry concealed handguns on school grounds to undergo at least 40 hours of specialized training in school policing annually.
During the proceedings, protesters in the gallery could be heard chanting “Blood on your hands,” reflecting the strong opposition to the bill. Democratic state Rep. Bo Mitchell voiced concerns about the measure, particularly in light of the tragic shooting incident at Covenant School in Nashville, which claimed the lives of three children and three adults.
The bill sponsor in the state Senate, Republican Sen. Paul Bailey, did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the legislation. Similarly, there was no immediate response from the spokesperson for Republican Gov. Bill Lee regarding whether he intends to sign the bill into law. Governor Lee has the option to sign the bill or let it become law without his signature, as he has not exercised veto power during his tenure.
Tennessee joins a growing number of states that have approved similar measures allowing teachers to carry guns on school premises. According to the Giffords Law Center, at least 26 states have laws that permit teachers or other school employees to possess firearms on school grounds, with certain exceptions in place.