TBA Law Blog

TBA Law Blog

Senate Passes New Bills in 3rd Day of Special Session

Posted by: Paul Burch on Aug 23, 2023

The Tennessee Senate today passed three bills coming out of the Senate Judiciary Committee: a measure to remove sales tax on gun safes and provide free gun locks to Tennessee residents; a proposal to change the deadline for courts to submit records to the state background check database; and a bill to require the TBI to create an updated report on human trafficking. Additionally, the Tennessean reports that the Senate passed $16.3 million in bonus funding for mental health workers, $3 million for mental health scholarships and $10 million for a stop-gap measure to allow for more security officers in schools. Other bills, including a risk protection order proposal, a bill to arm teachers,  expanded funding and insurance coverage for mental health treatment, and a bill that would allow certain minors to be tried as adults for certain offenses that were passed by House committees, were tabled in the Senate. Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, also announced that Senate leadership plans to meet with House leaders to determine a path to adjourn the special session.

Earlier today, Davidson County Chancellor Anne Martin issued a temporary restraining order against the Tennessee House of Representatives’ new rule barring signs in the galleries, the Tennessean reports. The order follows a lawsuit filed this morning by the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee after three activists were removed by state troopers from a hearing on gun reform after being told to lower paper signs and not clap during the proceedings. A hearing on the temporary injunction is scheduled for Sept. 5.

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