Tennessee lawmakers passed a bill allowing school staff to carry concealed handguns on school grounds, a response to a tragic shooting in Nashville that claimed six lives. The Tennessee House approved the legislation with a 68-28 vote following its passage in the GOP-controlled Senate. The bill aims to enhance school security by creating a deterrent, according to Republican state Rep. Ryan Williams. Faculty and staff opting to carry firearms must undergo at least 40 hours of annual training tailored to school settings.
"This is what we're going to do. This is our reaction to teachers and children being murdered in a school. Our reaction is to throw more guns at it. What's wrong with us?" Bo Mitchell said on the House floor.
During the House proceedings, protestors voiced their opposition loudly, chanting accusations of responsibility for the violence. Democratic state Rep. Bo Mitchell criticized the bill, highlighting the irony of introducing more firearms as a solution to gun violence in schools.
Governor Bill Lee, a Republican, has not indicated whether he will sign the bill, which he can allow to become law without his signature. This measure aligns with a broader trend; the Giffords Law Center notes that at least 26 states permit school staff to carry firearms under certain conditions.
Link: NBCNews
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