The Tennessee State Capitol in downtown Nashville
The Nashville community is reeling following Monday’s Covenant School shooting, which left seven people dead, including three children ages 8 and 9. With the horrible and lasting effects of gun violence so fresh on everyone’s minds, Tennessee’s Republican leadership is avoiding any discussion surrounding the policies that could affect the frequency and intensity of these shootings, instead encouraging the Nashville community to turn to prayer.
“You know, it's become cliché to see people talk about thoughts and prayers,” Sen. Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) tells the Scene. “But it's more than appropriate for people to pray in a moment like this if they are religious. I turn to prayer in a crisis like this. But faith without works is dead. And the prayer that anyone who's been here for the last six years and three mass shootings should be saying is a prayer of confession that we haven't done enough to keep our kids safe, and I don't want to feel that way after the fourth mass shooting, or the fifth.”
One bill from Rep. Caleb Hemmer would prevent people from leaving weapons unsecured in vehicles. Vehicle gun theft has continued to spike every year, and many of those same guns turn up in violent crimes. But most gun-related legislation this session aims to further deregulate guns in a state already considered one of the friendliest to firearms enthusiasts.
“All bills related to anything to do with guns or that type of situation are rolled to next week,” said Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) during Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee meeting. “Yesterday was a tragic event in the country, and in the state, and in Nashville, and we need to be respectful of those victims and the families of those victims.”
From the state Capitol to Washington, D.C., these calls to delay any policy-centric conversations surrounding mass shootings have been uniform from Republican leaders. “Three precious little kids lost their lives, and I believe three adults,” U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee told reporters on Monday. “It’s a horrible, horrible situation. And we’re not going to fix it. Criminals are going to be criminals.”
In a video statement released Tuesday night, Gov. Bill Lee, whose family has previously been affected by gun violence, revealed that one of the Covenant School shooting victims, Cynthia Peak, was a close family friend and had dinner plans with First Lady Maria Lee that very evening.
“There will be a time to talk about the legislation and the budget proposals that we brought forth even this year, and clearly there’s more work to do,” said Lee. “But on this day, after the tragedy, I want to speak to that which rises above all else.” He went on to reference scripture.
“The battle is not against flesh and blood, it’s not against people,” said Lee. “The struggle is against evil itself.” The governor notably left out part of the full scripture, which reads: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
One piece of related legislation would penalize public schools for having unlocked exterior doors. Rhetoric surrounding “door control” has been a big one for Republicans nationwide. Notably, the door that the Covenant School shooter entered through was locked, and in footage released by the Metro Nashville Police Department, the shooter can be seen shooting out the glass and stepping through the door. (The Covenant School is a private Christian school.)
Most of the legislation being pushed by Tennessee’s Republican supermajority does not address guns as a factor in school shootings, but rather puts the responsibility on schools to increase security measures. One bill, which was scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee this week but has been rolled to next week, would allow teachers to carry handguns.
One of the most controversial pieces of gun legislation making its way through the General Assembly is a bill allowing 18-year-olds permitless carry of handguns. The bill originally faced resistance from both sides of the aisle due to language that would also allow for open carry of long guns. The Senate version has since been amended to remove this language, which remains in the House version. Tennessee’s permitless carry legislation was signed into law by Lee in 2021, but a stipulation that anyone under the age of 21 could not carry without a permit quickly led to the state being sued by a California-based gun-rights group.
As reported by the Associated Press, the same day as the Covenant School shooting, a deal proposed by state Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti to settle the lawsuit was approved. This makes the bill to lower the permitless carry age essentially a formality now, ensuring that the law reflects the decision of the courts.
At least three firearm-related bills will be heard in committee next week, with the bill to arm teachers and the bill to secure guns in cars both being heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
“These children were powerless to stop the shooter,” says Yarbro. “Our families are powerless to prevent these tragedies from occurring in our city. The people who sign up to pass laws and implement them have to recognize the heightened degree of responsibility that we have. We're not powerless in this moment to try to prevent the next tragedy.”
