NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JUNE 04: Police are seen surrounding the Tennessee State Capitol building on June 04, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin was filmed kneeling on George Floyd’s neck. Floyd was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. Across the country, Floyd’s death has set off days and nights of protests as its the most recent in a series of deaths of African Americans by the police. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
OAN’s Abril Elfi
1:40 PM – Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Tennessee lawmakers have now passed a bill that will allow educators to carry guns on school grounds.
Advertisement
On Tuesday, the bill was passed, and it will allow teachers to carry firearms while working on school premises. Senate Bill 1325 was approved in a 26-5 vote.
However, the faculty members must meet certain requirements to possess the firearms on school grounds. In order to carry a gun, faculty members must have a handgun carry permit, receive written authorization from both the school’s principal and local law enforcement, and lastly, undergo 40 hours of handgun training.
Additionally, the teachers “must not be prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or carrying a handgun under Tennessee or federal law determined by a background check.”
The House in the state’s legislature continued to push the bill closer to becoming law by passing its sister bill by a 68-28 vote. It now heads to Governor Bill Lee’s (R-Tenn.) desk to be signed into law.
Senator Paul Bailey (R-Tenn.), one of the co-sponsors of the bill, made sure to note that teachers must also undergo a psychological evaluation before being approved to carry.
The requirements that teachers must meet in order to carry in a Tennessee school will be “very high,” and the law is considered “100% permissive,” and is up to school districts to implement.
Meanwhile, Representative Jason Powell (D-Tenn.) opposed the new law, saying it made him “sick to [his] stomach,” and also adding that it is a “dangerous law.”
“It’s going to have dangerous impacts around the world,” Powell reportedly said. “Think about law enforcement. It’s going to delay responses. It’s going to put law enforcement in danger. How will they know who’s the assailant and who’s the teacher with the gun?”
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts