NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A week after Gov. Bill Lee said he would call a special session, his office released Friday that it might not be happening anytime soon.
Lee called for a special session on public safety and the Second Amendment. This discussion comes after The Covenant School shooting, where a gunman took the lives of six people, including three 9-year-old children. That session may not happen until late summer.
"We offered the General Assembly a list of potential dates for the special session — from May through August — and based on initial feedback from legislative leadership, it will likely be after July 4," his office said. "The governor will announce additional details as soon as they become available.”
Some lawmakers said that the manifesto would be critical to any gun reform measures put in place. TBI director David Rausch did talk candidly at a recent Tennessee Sheriffs' Association meeting about the contents of the manifesto. Rausch said what police found isn't so much a manifesto spelling out a target but a series of rambling writings indicating no clear motive. MNPD during the aftermath of the shooting said none of the six who died were targeted.
Lee tweeted Thursday night that the manifesto would be released to the public soon, but no date for that has been announced.
A note on special sessions:
- they cannot fundraise while it's happening, just like in a regular session
- there's not minimum length to them, but legislators can have up to 30 days of pay
- they can't consider matters from the last regular session
Why a special session?
The Covenant School shooting created a chain reaction across Middle Tennessee, bringing thousands to the legislature to protest for some kind of gun reform. Legislation on firearms never happened, except legislation that would protect firearms companies from particular lawsuits.
The governor tried to call legislators to take up some sort of legislation on an order of protection (red flag law). Those details came together this week in the form of a legislative package that no one in the Republican supermajority would take up.
As written in the governor's proposal, this would be dubbed as a temporary mental health order of protection. There will be no ex parte, meaning those in question will have to be notified and given the opportunity to stand before a judge. Rep. William Lamberth, R-Portland, told reporters Friday night his copy of that package was full of red ink in changes he would have made had it come before the legislative body.
Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, tried to make it happen in the Senate, but Republicans either voted no or present not voting. Republicans hold a majority in the Senate as well.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Republican leadership said they hoped the governor would come prepared with a package they could work on in a special session. It's not clear if it will be the same proposal he made in April or something different.
