Tennessee House Republicans recently passed a bill that would allow some teachers and staff to carry concealed handguns on public school grounds, while also preventing parents and other teachers from knowing who is armed. The bill has been sent to Republican Governor Bill Lee for consideration and would mark a significant expansion of gun access in the state following a deadly school shooting in Nashville last year. Those opposed to the bill expressed their discontent by chanting “Blood on your hands” at the lawmakers and House Speaker Cameron Sexton ordered the galleries cleared in response.
Four House Republicans and all Democrats opposed the bill, which was previously passed by the state Senate. The measure would only allow school administrators and police to know which employees are carrying guns, barring notification to students’ parents and other teachers. The proposal presents a different response to the Covenant School shooting compared to what Governor Lee proposed last year. Republican legislators rejected his push to keep guns away from individuals deemed a danger to themselves or others.
Lawmakers rejected several Democratic amendments to the bill, including requiring parental consent, notifying individuals when someone is armed, and making the school district assume civil liability for any injury, damage, or death due to staff carrying guns. Some Democrats accused their Republican colleagues of pandering to donors in the gun industry and described their actions as morally insane. In the aftermath of the chaotic vote, Democratic and Republican lawmakers clashed over violations of House rules, with Democrat Justin Jones being reprimanded for recording on his phone and barred from speaking on the floor.
It remains uncertain whether any school districts in Tennessee would take advantage of the bill if it becomes law. For example, a Metro Nashville Public Schools spokesperson stated that the district believes it is safest for only approved active-duty law enforcement to carry weapons on campus. About half of U.S. states allow teachers or employees with concealed carry permits to carry guns on school property in some capacity. In Iowa, a bill was recently signed into law allowing trained school employees to carry guns on school grounds.
Tennessee Republicans have a history of loosening gun laws, including passing a permit-less carry law for handguns in 2021. The original law allowed residents 21 and older to carry handguns in public without a permit, which was later extended to include 18- to 20-year-olds following a lawsuit. In response to the school shooting last year, lawmakers passed a law protecting gun and ammunition dealers from lawsuits, as well as allowing private schools with pre-kindergarten classes to have guns on campus. They have also proposed bills to remove gun rights from certain individuals, such as those ruled incompetent for trial due to mental illness or juveniles deemed delinquent for specific offenses.
Despite calls for significant gun control measures following the Covenant School shooting in Nashville, Tennessee lawmakers have largely resisted such proposals. The passing of the bill allowing teachers and staff to carry concealed handguns on school grounds represents a significant expansion of gun access in the state and has sparked controversy and opposition from those who believe it will not address the root causes of gun violence. Governor Bill Lee is expected to sign the bill into law, given the political landscape and Republican control of the state legislature.
