(WTVF) — Counties in East Tennessee have been passing "Second Amendment Sanctuary" resolutions in an attempt to protect the Second Amendment from gun control laws.
CBS affiliate WVLT said Blount, Jefferson, Loudon, Monroe, Roane and Sevier counties have already passed such resolutions.
"The sanctuary law says we protect the second amendment first, and therefore we don't necessarily have to abide by that gun control law," Mark O'Gorman, a political science professor at Maryville College, told WVLT.
"I think really is in response to the talk that started over the last two years about the state or either the federal government or both enacting extreme risk protection orders that are commonly referred to as red flag laws," said John Harris, executive director of the Tennessee Firearm Association
While, there are no red flag laws in Tennessee sanctuary counties would not abide by any actions or mandates infringing on people's right to bear arms. It's a move the Tennessee Firearms Association supports.
Harris says he doesn't see sanctuary counties or cities coming to Nashville but, he can see it happening to neighboring counties.
"Williamson, Wilson, Sumner, Cheatham the surrounding counties. I think there's a huge chance what started in Tennessee is spreading west," he said.
However, organizations like Safe Tennessee Project say stronger gun control legislation is needed.
"I don’t feel that it’s a safe approach, I think it’s really more of a chance that these counties to make a political statement. The reality is county authorities, local law enforcement are required to uphold federal law," said Beth Joslin Roth, Tennessee Safe Project.
Roth advocating for safer law to keep guns out of the wrong hands.
"It's really one of the best ways to prevent everything from mass shootings, to workplace shootings to suicide," Roth said.
In the majority of cases federal law overrides any state or local laws.
