NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said details on a special session would finally come in the middle of August.
"The efforts of General Assembly members that are bringing ideas forward want to make sure this is a very productive session that leaves Tennessee safer," Lee said outside of an event on Friday to media members. “Usually we make a call about a week out. If we have enough clarity on what bills are going to be proposed by members of the General Assembly, we might make it a few days before.”
The date of the special session is Aug. 21 as was announced in May. This special session will discuss public safety and the Second Amendment.
The governor hasn't released a new legislative package for members to consider, and the Republican supermajority rejected his order of protection/red flag proposal for mental health prior to gaveling out in April. No lawmakers added it as an amendment to any caption bills in the House, and only Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, tried to push forward the effort in the Senate. It was voted down immediately. no Republican other than Lee stepped forward with any proposed solutions, despite thousands of people coming to the legislature to protest for gun reform.
Previously, Tennessee's House and Senate leaders made a unique request before they would like to meet for a special session on public safety.
They said they wanted the FBI or the Metro Nashville Police Department to release the documents of The Covenant School shooter. Those documents are now embroiled in a legal battle that won't reach a resolution any time soon.
Details of this manner weren't requested before any type of gun legislation for Nashville's other two mass shootings inside a Waffle House or an Antioch church.
Between the shooting and the end of the session, nearly a month transpired with no action on firearms, with the exception that the legislature voted on party lines to not allow suit against gun manufacturers after mass shootings.
