NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Senate Republicans found themselves under attack Monday from their House colleagues and the parents on Capitol Hill who have been pushing for change during the special session on public safety.
Those Republicans are being blamed for an impasse between the House and Senate, an impasse that reflects the two bodies' very different cultures.
The House is eager to pass bills and claim victory of some sort, while the Senate says they want a more deliberative process to ensure they really understand the implications of what they are passing.
"Our position is we've completed our business," Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson told NewsChannel 5 Investigates.
"There are some other bills that have been filed, some of them very good pieces of legislation. But we just don't believe we've got the time in a truncated special session to give them thorough consideration. So let's wait until January and take those up," he continued.
The Senate has passed three bills dealing with incentives for gun owners to keep their firearms locked up, speeding up the gun background check process and requiring an annual TBI report on child trafficking.
"As I look at those bills, I don't see anything directly related to Covenant," NewsChannel 5 noted.
"Certainly, as you know, the governor's been very clear that this special session was not specifically about Covenant," Johnson answered. "It certainly was an impetus, I think, for us getting here. But it's a special session about public safety," Johnson said.
We followed up.
"Can you end this session without addressing Covenant in some way?"
"As you know," Johnson continued, "the situation around Covenant is tragic and complicated."
From the Senate's perspective, the House is rushing through bills that the public did not see until right before the debate. They say these bills are more complicated than what House Republicans have been willing to admit.
"There can be amendments added that can have ramifications far reaching that we may miss whenever we are under pressure to get in and get out," said Sen. Chairman Paul Bailey, R-Sparta.
"So you are saying this is potentially dangerous?" NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked.
"It could be, absolutely," Bailey said.
It came on a day that some of the mothers who've been on Capitol Hill took their frustrations out on Senate Republicans.
"We saw that a hundred bills went down to three bills in less than 24 hours and suddenly this whole thing which we knew was very narrowly focused was becoming almost a sham, a joke," said Nashville mother Maryam Abolfazli.
Covenant mom Melissa Alexander was more blunt in her criticism of Senate Republicans.
"The shooter confronted our children with guns, but now you are stabbing our families and all Tennesseans in the back," Alexander said.
"So what do you say to those mothers?" NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked Johnson.
"I say we hear you, we hear you," the Williamson County Republican responded. "And as I said, there are some really good bills that are among those that have been filed in the House, but what I would say to those families is: we want to get it done right, not get it done fast."
Bailey response was short.
"Totally understand, but at the same time this is Gov. Bill Lee's special-called session," Bailey said.
If those advocates wanted certain measures, Bailey says they should have pushed the governor to lead.
"It was his legislation that was brought forward," he added. "Anything that they feel like has not been addressed during this special-called session is because it's not in his package of legislation for this special-called session."
Adding to the confusion Monday, House Republicans were telling reporters that the governor was backing 12 of their bills.
Senate Republicans said they had not heard that from the governor.
Late Monday, the governor's office finally weighed in.
"As we’ve said, Governor Lee has been in constant communication with members of the General Assembly and continues to offer his full support as the legislative process moves forward," press secretary Elizabeth Lane Johnson said in a written statement.
It continued:
"Most recently, our office provided a list of bills to the speakers of both chambers to help facilitate conversations in the days ahead. Since calling the special session in April, the Governor has worked with legislators for months to bring forward a number of public safety solutions. We’re encouraged that several of the Governor’s proposals are moving in both chambers."