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Tennessee lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a GOP-backed measure connected Tuesday that will let schoolteachers to transportation firearms connected schoolhouse grounds, though nan names of nan equipped instructors would not beryllium published to nan public.
Earlier this month, Republican lawmakers successful Tennessee joined together to o.k. Senate Bill 1325 pinch a 26-5 vote. The measure allows a coach aliases module personnel who meets definite requirements, to person and transportation a firearm connected schoolhouse grounds.
In bid to transportation a handgun, teachers must person a handgun transportation permit, person written authorization from some nan school’s main and section rule enforcement and acquisition 40 hours of handgun training. The worker must besides not beryllium prohibited from purchasing, possessing and carrying a handgun nether Tennessee aliases national law, arsenic wished by a inheritance check.
On Tuesday, nan House successful nan authorities Legislature continued to push nan measure closer to becoming rule by passing nan sister measure by a 68-28 vote. It now heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s table to beryllium signed into law.
TENNESSEE LAWMAKERS PASS BILL ALLOWING TEACHERS TO CARRY GUNS AT SCHOOL 1 YEAR AFTER DEADLY NASHVILLE SHOOTING
Covenant School shooter Audrey Hale walks past nan Children's Ministry desk. (1:57) (Twitter @MNPDNashville)
Last year, a fatal shooting astatine The Covenant School, a backstage Christian simple schoolhouse successful Nashville, near 3 children and 3 adults dead.
The authorities Senate’s support of nan measure sparked outcries from teachers, students, Democratic lawmakers and moreover Covenant School parents.
On Tuesday, protesters screamed, "Blood connected your hands," earlier House speaker Cameron Sexton called for authorities troopers to region them from nan balcony, FOX 17 successful Nashville reported.
NASHVILLE SCHOOL SHOOTER MANIFESTO: POLICE GROUP SIDES WITH SCHOOL IN LAWSUIT OVER RELEASE
A Tennessee measure would let authorities schoolteachers to transportation firearms connected schoolhouse grounds. (iStock)
Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, called nan measure "morally insane."
"Republicans proceed to clasp our authorities hostage," he reportedly said. "God person mercy connected you that you do not perceive nan symptom of these mothers saying to protect kids, not guns."
One of nan sponsors of nan bill, Sen. Paul Bailey, said nan measure allows unit and faculty to transportation arms if they take to, but successful bid to transportation a gun, they must spell done 40 hours of training and acquisition a psychological evaluation.
Rep. Ryan Williams, different sponsor of nan bill, said nan standards teachers must meet successful bid to transportation successful a Tennessee schoolhouse will beryllium "very high."
The rule is considered "100% permissive," according to Williams, and is up to schoolhouse districts to implement. Approval besides falls connected rule enforcement and schoolhouse administrators.
BILL LETTING TRAINED TEACHERS CARRY GUNS PASSES WEST VIRGINIA HOUSE
The Tennessee Capitol successful Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Williams besides said nan measure is intended to beryllium a deterrent, adding nan identities of teachers carrying guns would not beryllium released.
Still, Rep. Jason Powell, a Democrat from Nashville, said nan rule "makes maine sick to my stomach," adding it is dangerous.
"It’s going to person vulnerable impacts astir nan world," Powell reportedly said. "Think astir rule enforcement. It’s going to hold responses. It’s going to put rule enforcement successful danger. How will they cognize who’s nan assailant and who’s nan teacher pinch nan gun?"
NASHVILLE EASTER BRUNCH SHOOTING SUSPECT IS ARRESTED IN KENTUCKY
Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is expected to motion a measure that will let schoolteachers to transportation firearms astatine school. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Lee did not respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for remark connected nan matter.
Before its passage, nan bill’s proponents based on teachers and module could service arsenic a much contiguous consequence unit to a shooting situation. They said it could beryllium peculiarly adjuvant successful agrarian counties pinch constricted rule enforcement resources.
The contentious measure comes astir a twelvemonth aft a deadly shooting past March astatine The Covenant School. The shooter, who was killed astatine nan segment by police, killed 3 children and 3 adults during nan rampage.
The measure besides comes amid a larger push from Tennessee Republicans to loosen weapon laws, including signing disconnected connected permitless transportation for handguns successful 2021.
The push includes an effort to grow nan state’s permitless transportation rule to see agelong guns.
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The original rule allowed residents 21 and older to transportation handguns successful nationalist without a permit. Two years later, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti past allowed 18- to 20-year-olds to transportation handguns publicly.
Lawmakers besides approved a measure that would let backstage schools pinch pre-kindergarten classes to person guns connected campus. The politician has not yet signed it into law.
Fox News Digital’s Lawrence Richard and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
