Democratic Leaders Call for Gun Safety Reform

Lawmakers push for action in upcoming special legislative session

The Democratic leaders of Tennessee's House and Senate are calling on their colleagues to heed Gov. Bill Lee's request for passage of a Red Flag law for gun safety and also suggesting additional reforms to enhance public safety.

Lee has said he plans to soon call a special legislative session on gun violence, and Democrats in the legislature say it can't come soon enough.

House Democratic Leader Karen Camper and Senate Democratic Leader Raumesh Akbari said their respective caucuses are ready to join with the Governor on sensible gun safety reform.

In a joint statement on the issue, Camper and Akbari said:

"Lawmakers have a duty to act. The General Assembly is not some hapless bystander. We cannot sit idly by and allow this cycle of violence to continue.

So as we mourn innocent lives lost to gun violence, the legislature must also take action to prevent future tragedies.

We can and we must do more to protect our communities and ensure that our children can grow up without fear of gun violence."

While both have endorsed Lee's suggestion of a Red Flag law that would prevent those individuals who are an imminent danger to themselves or others from possessing guns, they also said the state needs to dig deeper for solutions.

"As we look to the future, we should begin work on comprehensive reform that addresses the root causes of gun violence and prevents dangerous individuals from obtaining firearms in the first place.

We must also address the toxic gun culture that glorifies violence and perpetuates the notion that guns are the solution to all of our problems. We need to change the conversation around guns and shift the focus to responsibility, non-violent conflict resolution and community building."

House Democratic Leader Karen Camper and Senate Democratic Leader Raumesh AkbariPhoto bySenate Democratic Caucus