Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee signed a bill into law earlier this week that prohibits financial institutions, such as banks and credit card companies, from specifically tracking gun and ammunition purchases.
<a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB2762" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House Bill 2762</a>, also called the &#8220;Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act,&#8221; prohibits financial institutions from requiring gun retailers to use a specific merchant code &#8220;that distinguishes a firearms retailer from a general merchandise retailer or a sporting goods retailer.&#8221; All retailers are assigned merchant codes based on what they sell, allowing banks and credit card companies to track purchasing patterns and protect against fraud. Gun retailers&#8217; merchant codes are usually included with those of other shops, like sporting goods stores.
State Rep. Rusty Grills, a Republican, introduced the legislation earlier this year after credit card companies Visa and Mastercard <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/visa-to-categorize-sales-at-gun-stores-in-win-for-gun-control-advocates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> plans to separately categorize firearm and ammunition purchases in 2022.
The &#8220;Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act&#8221; also prohibits financial institutions from declining credit card transactions &#8220;based solely on the assignment or non-assignment of a firearms merchant category code&#8221; and outlaws government entities from keeping a registry of privately owned firearms or gun owners in the state.
Rep. Grills told The Daily Wire in a phone conversation on Thursday that he introduced the legislation to &#8220;protect the Second Amendment rights of all those in Tennessee&#8221; by preventing financial institutions from creating &#8220;a database&#8221; of gun buyers, a possibility Grills said is troubling because many corporations are being led by &#8220;capitalist woke folks.&#8221; Grills added that this new law will preempt any potential future efforts by institutions to interfere with Tenesseeans&#8217; Second Amendment rights.
&#8220;We would rather be able to protect our rights from the beginning rather than have to fight for our rights back at the end,&#8221; Grills said.
The bill passed the state House and Senate earlier this month before it was signed into law by Gov. Lee on Tuesday.
In 2022, the International Organization for Standardization (IOS) — which develops proprietary, industrial, and commercial standards — <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/exclusive-global-standards-body-approves-new-merchant-code-gun-sellers-2022-09-09/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> a new merchant code specifically for gun retailers.
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Shortly after the IOS approved the change, credit card companies took the step of categorizing gun purchases separately from all other purchases. At the time, congressional Democrats were also <a href="https://twitter.com/SenWarren/status/1567214955690135552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1567214955690135552%7Ctwgr%5Ef5ec583f964c1dc4fbe19556fa5ca458046587c1%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.dailywire.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D728687action%3Dedit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urging</a> Visa, Mastercard, and American Express to &#8220;do more to help stop mass shootings.&#8221;
Those three credit card companies, however, paused plans to track gun purchases a few months later after Republican lawmakers and attorneys general <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/23-republican-ags-warn-credit-card-companies-to-abandon-plan-to-identify-gun-sales" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> the payment processors of the constitutional ramifications of their proposal. But in February of this year, Visa, Mastercard, and American Express moved forward with a plan to potentially track gun purchases in California, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/american-express-visa-mastercard-gun-merchant-code/">reported</a>.
While multiple Republican-led state legislatures have passed bans on the specific merchant code for gun retailers, California passed a law requiring gun retailers to adopt the merchant code by May 2025.

Gun Store

Tennessee Governor Signs Bill Preventing Financial Institutions From Conducting Unauthorized Surveillance Of Gun Buyers

Banks

Bill Lee

credit card

General

Guns

Politics

Second Amendment

Tennessee

Despite making &#8220;tremendous progress&#8221; toward implementing a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/will-school-choice-come-to-tennessee-lawmakers-have-two-weeks-to-finalize-education-freedom-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">school choice program</a> in Tennessee, Republicans ultimately failed to come to an agreement during negotiations on two different versions of school choice measures that had been put forward in the state&#8217;s House and Senate.
Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee, who had pushed for the state&#8217;s legislature to pass school choice legislation, <a href="https://twitter.com/GovBillLee/status/1782409052443508980" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Monday that families &#8220;will have to wait yet another year for the freedom to choose the right education for their child.&#8221; The state&#8217;s 2024 legislative session ends this week, and a new General Assembly will be sworn in after the elections this fall.
&#8220;I am extremely disappointed for the families who will have to wait yet another year for the freedom to choose the right education for their child, especially when there is broad agreement that now is the time to bring universal school choice to Tennessee,&#8221; Lee said. &#8220;While we made tremendous progress, unfortunately it has become clear that there is not a pathway for the bill during this legislative session.&#8221;
Lee&#8217;s plan, known as the “Education Freedom Scholarship Act,” looked to make scholarships worth $7,000 available for 20,000 students in the next school year. For the first year of the scholarships, those with low incomes would have access to half of the scholarships while the other half would be handed out on a first come, first serve basis. The plan would push for all students in the 2025-2026 school year to have scholarships they could use at private schools and charter schools and they would also be made available for homeschool families.
Lee thanked the leaders in both chambers of the state legislature &#8220;for their commitment to pursuing education freedom next year.&#8221;
The bills being considered by the state Senate and House contained major differences. The bill sponsored in the Senate by Republican Majority Leader Jack Johnson mirrored Lee&#8217;s proposal and added a requirement that scholarship recipients take an annual norm-referenced test approved by the state board of education. Meanwhile, the state House version of the bill — sponsored by Republican House Majority Leader William Lamberth — was more strict in how the scholarships could be applied as they were designated only for use at private schools with limited use for public schools. The House version also did not include scholarships that could be used by homeschool families.
Lamberth cited concerns about fiscal responsibility for why the House bill included those major differences.
“We would expand as possible as we go forward. Here in Tennessee, we are always very fiscally conservative. We balance our budget every year,” Lamberth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/will-school-choice-come-to-tennessee-lawmakers-have-two-weeks-to-finalize-education-freedom-act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told The Daily Wire</a> earlier this month. “We are just very careful not to have a program that has no fiscal constraints on it. So the intention would be to expand this program down the road, but we’re going to start out with 20,000 students.”
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The school choice program was opposed by Democrats and teachers unions, but also by some conservative activists who say that school choice legislation could be fiscally irresponsible, introduce backdoor ways for the government to regulate Christian schools and homeschoolers, and fund education for illegal immigrants, The Daily Wire previously reported.
The governor, however, says his proposed program will empower parents and give all students better opportunities &#8220;to succeed.&#8221;
&#8220;It’s very simple — this is about every Tennessee student having the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their zip code or income level, and without question, empowering parents is the best way to make sure that happens,&#8221; Lee said.
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.

‘Extremely Disappointed’: Tennessee School Choice Bill Won’t Pass This Year, Governor Says

Tennessee School Choice Bill Dead For The Year, Governor Says

Republicans

School Choice

Tennessee&#8217;s Republican Governor Bill Lee is determined to make his state the latest to overhaul its education system to embrace school choice, but with a deadline to get it done just a few weeks away, several hurdles remain. 
With two weeks remaining before the legislative session of the Tennessee General Assembly comes to a close, lawmakers in the state House and Senate have put forward two very different versions of Lee&#8217;s proposed school choice measure, known as the &#8220;Education Freedom Scholarship Act.&#8221; Despite the differences, both legislative leaders and Lee tell The Daily Wire they are confident they will get a school choice measure passed, though precisely what it will look like won&#8217;t be known until the end of the session on April 25.
Lee’s school choice <a href="https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2023/11/28/gov--lee--legislative-leadership-call-for-statewide-school-choice--unveil-education-freedom-scholarship-act.html">plan</a> calls for scholarships worth $7,000 to be made available to 20,000 students in the 2024-2025 school year. Of the available scholarships, half would be reserved for poor people, with the remaining half allocated on a first come, first serve basis. The goal for the next school year would be for universal eligibility for all students in the state to use at private schools, charter schools, or for homeschool families. 
&#8220;A parent ought to decide where their kid goes to school and what they learn, and not the government,” Lee told The Daily Wire in an interview. “That’s what choice is really about: the government not deciding everything about a kid&#8217;s education in a state, but the parents deciding that.”
The House and Senate versions of the Education Freedom Scholarship Act have been working their way through committees over the last several weeks. Both versions set aside around $144 million for the 20,000 scholarships and do not automatically expand the amount of scholarships, meaning the cap would need to be lifted by future General Assemblies. They both also reserve 10,000 for lower-income students and 10,000 more broadly open for anyone. However, who and where the scholarships can be eligible depends on which version gets passed.
The Senate <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Amend/SA0630.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">version</a>, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, a Republican, closely mirrors Lee’s proposal. It would make the scholarships available for the 2024-2025 school year for use at private schools and for homeschool families, as well as allow students to choose their public schools. Additionally, the Senate version would require scholarship recipients to take an annual norm-referenced test approved by the state board of education. 
The House version, sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, also a Republican, allows for the scholarships to be given out to Tennessee students for use at private schools. However, the scholarships have more limited eligibility, as it designates them only for use at private schools. Unlike the Senate version, they could not be used by homeschool families, and there is still limited choice for public schools. 
The school choice proposals have received the usual criticism from teachers unions, but have also received critiques from some conservative activists who say that school choice legislation could be fiscally irresponsible, introduce backdoor ways for the government to regulate Christian schools and homeschoolers, and fund education for illegal immigrants.
Lee said he understood those concerns about government regulation and said that there would be protections for homeschool families and private schools that participate in the program. Lee told The Daily Wire that he believed that &#8220;less government is better government” and that the goal of his legislation would be to allow parents to allocate their tax dollars toward the kind of education they want for their kids.  
The exact details about what safeguards might be in place remain somewhat up in the air as lawmakers negotiate the specifics of the education scholarship program. Parents and schools could also decline to participate in the program. 
When asked about concerns about the scholarship program introducing cumbersome regulations on private schools or homeschools, Johnson, the Senate leader, said the bill was an attempt to give parents more opportunity to choose how their children should be educated, and not an attempt to “take over” private schools. 
He said he would “fight tooth and nail any attempts” to introduce more regulations for private schools and homeschool families. 
Lamberth said the concerns about fiscal responsibility are why the House formulated the program the way it did.
&#8220;We would expand as possible as we go forward. Here in Tennessee, we are always very fiscally conservative. We balance our budget every year,” Lamberth told The Daily Wire. “We are just very careful not to have a program that has no fiscal constraints on it. So the intention would be to expand this program down the road, but we’re going to start out with 20,000 students.” 
On the issue of the eligibility of illegal immigrants for the scholarships, the House reserves the scholarships for citizens while the Senate version stays away from that issue.
Johnson said he did not want to introduce anything in the Senate version that would place the measure in danger of getting tied up in court. In 1982, the Supreme Court ruled that states have to provide education to all children in the state regardless of whether they are in the United States legally or not. 
While there are still major differences still being debated, Lee said he was ”very hopeful and very confident” that a bill would make it to his desk. Johnson said he is “cautiously optimistic,” but acknowledged that the Senate and House versions of the legislation “do look a lot different.”
“Anything we can do to empower parents to make decisions that they believe are best for their child, we should do that, and that’s what this legislation does,” Johnson said. “For far too many families, because of their financial circumstances, they don’t have the resources or means to pick a different option for their kid, and so they are forced to go to the public school that they’re zoned for.” 
Lamberth said he felt good about negotiations, and said working out differences is part of the legislative process. 
Lee’s appeal for school choices comes weeks after Alabama <a href="https://spn.org/articles/alabama-passes-universal-school-choice/">enacted </a>universal school choice and the Georgia legislature passed a $6,500 education savings account program backed by Governor Brian Kemp (R). In nearby Louisiana, a school choice measure is making its way through the legislature with support from even some Democrats.
Lee has argued that his school choice push is part of the growing movement across America of parents demanding more accountability from public schools over the quality of the education and values being promoted by public school teachers.
“This is an awakening of parents across America to the urgency and the need to be more engaged in the options for their children’s education, and to know what their kids are learning, and to be more engaged to where they&#8217;re learning it,” Lee said
Tennessee has already rolled out education scholarship programs in Nashville, Chattanooga, and Memphis through school choice pilot programs in previous years. Lee&#8217;s proposal would expand options for the whole state. 
Corey DeAngelis, an advocate for school choice and senior fellow at the Federation for American Children, told The Daily Wire that he would consider any bill expanding school choice that makes it across the finish line a win, but that a state like Tennessee should be able to get a broad measure passed. 
&#8220;Any school choice bill that expands opportunities for families would be a step in the right direction so either chamber&#8217;s version would be a win, but at the same time you have supermajorities in each chamber in Tennessee and you should be able to get full-throated school choice like they have in Arizona,” he told The Daily Wire.  
DeAngelis said Arizona’s school choice measure, passed by Republican Governor Doug Ducey, should be the north star for conservative states. It included explicit protections for private schools from government overreach, and expanded options for all parents with no income restrictions or caps on available scholarships. He said ideal legislation allows for all families, regardless of income or zip code, to take their children to any form of school — public, private, or home.
What Tennessee&#8217;s final version will look like and how expansive it will be is still being decided, but the pressure is on to satisfy both critics and proponents of the bill as lawmakers push to make Tennessee the latest Red state to enact broader school choice.

Tennessee Educators Gather In Nashville To Protest Proposed School Voucher Legislation

Will School Choice Win Out In Tennessee? Lawmakers Have Two Weeks To Finalize ‘Education Freedom’ Act

Education

A Tennessee government council is asking the state legislature to give certain illegal immigrants taxpayer-funded college tuition payments, vehicle repairs, and legal representation.
The Tennessee Youth Transitions Advisory Council, created by the legislature to help the state with foster care, called in its annual report for the Tennessee General Assembly to consider giving legal status to illegal immigrant children so that they could be qualified for extended foster care services. This means that illegal immigrants 18 or older would be given access to taxpayer-funded legal, educational, and health benefits currently only available to state citizens. 
“Currently, youth who were undocumented upon being brought into foster care are granted special immigrant juvenile status while in care but are not permitted to receive [extended foster care services],” the council wrote in its 2023 <a href="https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tccy/documents/ytac/YTAC_2023_Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a>. “The Tennessee General Assembly should explore options to rectify this discrepancy in treatment, including reclassification of these youth as qualified legal aliens.”
The proposal to extend foster care services to illegal immigrants comes as Tennessee has faced criticism over a <a href="https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/hospitals-becoming-a-dumping-ground-for-kids-in-dcs-custody" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shortage</a> of available beds for foster care children, as well as reports that illegal immigrants released into the country by the Biden administration <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/almost-600-noncitizen-migrants-could-233348955.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plan</a> to make their way to the Volunteer State.
Free services would be available to illegal immigrant adults who came out of the foster system if the General Assembly takes the council’s advice. Those services can include financial assistance for health care, tutoring,  educational fees, driver’s testing fees, car insurance, car repairs, household furnishings, housing-related fees, and even child care assistance, according to the report.
<div id="attachment_708973" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-708973" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-708973 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/Screen-Shot-2024-02-20-at-2.11.35-PM-1024x501.png" alt="" width="1024" height="501" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/Screen-Shot-2024-02-20-at-2.11.35-PM-1024x501.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/Screen-Shot-2024-02-20-at-2.11.35-PM-300x147.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/Screen-Shot-2024-02-20-at-2.11.35-PM-768x376.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/Screen-Shot-2024-02-20-at-2.11.35-PM-1536x751.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/Screen-Shot-2024-02-20-at-2.11.35-PM-2048x1002.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Screenshot of Tennessee Youth Transitions Advisory Council report / The Daily Wire</div>
“Transitioning youth throughout the state need assistance resolving legal issues, including housing, such as leases and evictions; family legal issues, such as child custody or divorce; and potential criminal activities,” the report said. “The Tennessee Bar Association and Access to Justice should establish a pro bono legal services program geared toward 18-24-year-olds who need assistance.”
This would mean that Tennessee taxpayers would potentially have to foot the bill for an illegal immigrant’s defense lawyers if he committed a crime like rape or murder between the ages of 18 and 24 after being given extended foster care services. 
Top state lawmakers told The Daily Wire that the General Assembly has no intention to take up the recommendation and that state support of the council might need to be evaluated.
&#8220;The council’s report is misguided and lacks any understanding of the current immigration issue in America,&#8221; House Speaker Cameron Sexton told The Daily Wire. &#8220;A qualified legal alien is here lawfully — obviously an illegal immigrant is not here lawfully. The general assembly will not pass or even consider this recommendation, however, we will thoroughly examine if this council needs to exist or be sunset.&#8221;
Tennessee Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson also called the legislation misguided and said that the Senate had no intention to follow the recommendation.
“There is absolutely no appetite in the Senate to consider this misguided recommendation which would take resources away from Tennessee children in our country legally,&#8221; Johnson told The Daily Wire. &#8220;It is bad policy to change the immigration status of undocumented children in [Department of Children&#8217;s Services] custody, and it will not happen in Tennessee.&#8221;
Other recommendations for the advisory council say that children who age out of the foster care system should remain on TennCare and have their tuition fees waived at higher education institutions in the state. 
The advisory council is chaired by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-bradfield-88b5b3113/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cory Bradfield</a>, currently a program director at the Tennessee Department of Health and a previous legislative aide for former Democratic state lawmaker Beverly Marrero. 
&#8220;The recommendations included in the report are from a variety of stakeholders,&#8221; Bradfield told The Daily Wire when asked about the work of the council. &#8220;The meetings of the Youth Transitions Advisory Council are open to the public. We welcome any interested Tennessean to join the work to provide and improve extension of foster care services and support to all children aging out of foster care.&#8221;
A bill that would have dissolved the Tennessee Commission on Youth and Children, which is in charge of the council, was <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2023/03/20/tennessee-commission-on-youth-and-children-bill-to-dismantle-commission-dead-after-criticism/70030581007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> last year with the support of Governor Bill Lee, but was withdrawn after backlash. At the time, Johnson said that he still was concerned about the commission&#8217;s &#8220;lack of accountability to taxpayers through the legislative oversight process.&#8221;
The number of unaccompanied minors from other countries who have made it into the United States has skyrocketed in recent years, with some lawmakers and watchdogs suspecting that adults are using children to cross the border in order to be more likely to be paroled. These children are often then discarded and left by the adults who use them as effective passports to enter the country. 
 A Nashville judge recently approved a <a href="https://www.childrensrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/BR-v-Quin-2023.12.19-37-Settlement-Agreement9.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">settlement</a> between a group called Advocates for Immigrant Rights and the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, in which Tennessee agreed to provide immigration services to foreign-born children in the foster care system, including those in the United States illegally. 
The settlement compels Tennessee to help children get special immigrant juvenile status, which would give them an easier pathway to legal residency in the United States. Advocates for Immigrant Rights is headed up by Casey Bryant, who is <a href="https://www.airlegal.org/about-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also</a> on the executive committee for the LGBT Section of the Tennessee Bar Association. 
Critics say it may incentivize more illegal immigration as it appears to make the default position of the state that all illegal immigrants under the age of 18 are put on the path toward legal residency in the United States. DCS did not respond to requests to comment on the settlement.  
The settlement requires the state to refer all illegal alien children to immigration advocates and requires the state to “work with an available network of nonprofit organizations and immigration attorneys statewide … who are willing and able to serve the specialized needs of undocumented children in DCS custody in their United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and immigration court proceedings with the goal that these children receive adequate representation in gaining legal immigration status.” 
In the settlement, Tennessee agrees to prioritize the case of older kids because they are more likely to age out of the system and could be eligible for deportation. 
Advocates for Immigrant Rights is a group that is <a href="https://www.airlegal.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">devoted</a> to stopping and delaying deportations and defending illegal immigrants who have been placed into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, typically meaning that they have been charged with a serious crime. 
The group also appeals for illegals who have had their applications to stay in the United States denied. 
“For people whose applications have been denied by an Immigration Judge, we can appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and argue that the Immigration Judge’s decision was wrong,” the group says. “This process can last for a few months for people in detention and can last a few years for people who are not detained. We also help people to appeal a BIA decision to the federal court.”
The report recommendations come as the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth <a href="https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tccy/documents/stateofthechild/StateoftheChild2023Final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that “one in seven Tennessee children are part of an immigrant family.”
Other aspects of the council’s report also indicate that the council has adopted a politicized approach to certain issues. For example, the report says that both children who identify as LGBT and illegal immigrant children face a harder time transitioning out of foster care than other children.
“We recognize that these transitions can bring added barriers for certain segments of the youth population – those with disabilities, those in the LGBTQ+ community, those with behavioral health needs and those who are undocumented or have uncertain citizenship status,” the report said. “The goal of the Youth Transitions Advisory Council is to be welcoming and inclusive to all youth, and to always be particularly sensitive to the unique challenges that these youth face.”
The report added that Tennessee should “improve work around LGBT population and immigrant populations.” 
The advisory council highlighted different non-profits that are promoted by the state, including the East Tennessee-based McNabb Center. They used to have programs titled Manhood 2.0 and Sisters Saving Sisters, but these programs were renamed after complaints from LGBT people and they adopted a “gender neutral program name.”
Another one of the groups Tennessee promotes is the South Memphis Alliance, a group that says “strong communities promote stable families.” One of the local partners of the group is Planned Parenthood of the Greater MidSouth.
During its feature on the South Memphis Alliance’s <a href="https://archive.ph/nJGHH" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, abortion is listed as one of the services provided. 
<div id="attachment_708981" style="width: 568px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-708981" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-708981 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/Screen-Shot-2024-02-21-at-3.32.33-PM-558x576.png" alt="" width="558" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/Screen-Shot-2024-02-21-at-3.32.33-PM-558x576.png 558w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/Screen-Shot-2024-02-21-at-3.32.33-PM-291x300.png 291w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/Screen-Shot-2024-02-21-at-3.32.33-PM-768x792.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/03/Screen-Shot-2024-02-21-at-3.32.33-PM.png 988w" sizes="(max-width: 558px) 100vw, 558px" />South Memphis Alliance website.</div>
&nbsp;
Bradfield, the advisory council official, said it has no financial or contractual ties to the South Memphis Alliance.
The council appears to be full of political figures. Another person acknowledged in the report from the state council is Carlos Hawkins, a worker with Youth Villages whose social media history is full of anti-Trump rhetoric. On January 6, 2021, he <a href="https://archive.ph/wBR7U" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that “every single GOP member that took part in this attempted assassination of democracy” needed to step down from office while another message <a href="https://archive.ph/ICYyB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> “f*** Donald trump.”
He also retweeted a <a href="https://twitter.com/AftynBehn/status/1758950980832334291" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> blaming a group of self-described neo-Nazis marching through Nashville on state leadership. Another recent <a href="https://archive.ph/d2KtT" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> laughed at a comment referring to Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn as a &#8220;bi*ch ass wife.&#8221;
Hawkins&#8217; social media was restricted after The Daily Wire reached out to Youth Villages for comment which said that Hawkins&#8217; views did not reflect the organization.
“The opinions expressed by one of our employees on social media do not reflect the views of our organization,&#8221; Youth Villages told The Daily Wire. &#8220;We have thousands of employees, and there’s an expectation that no one blurs the line between their official capacity and their personal views. Youth Villages remains focused on helping children and families.&#8221;
Johnson, the Senate Majority Leader, told The Daily Wire that Tennessee&#8217;s Republican supermajority was focused on countering illegal immigration by working with Gov. Bill Lee to send National Guard troops to the southern border, and by working on implementing policy to deter illegal immigrants from coming to Tennessee.
&#8220;We have banned sanctuary cities in Tennessee and cracked down on illegal immigrants receiving public benefits,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Tennessee’s message to illegal immigrants is clear: do not come here.”

Mexicans Illegally Crossing the US Border

Tennessee Government Council Urges Legislature To Give Illegal Immigrant Kids ‘Legal’ Status At 18

Biden Administration

Illegal Immigration

Nashville

Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-lee">Bill Lee</a> (R-TN) proposed new legislation on Wednesday which would help protect songwriters, performers, and other <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/music-industry">music industry</a> professionals from violations related to the unauthorized use of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>.
&#8220;Tennessee will be the first state in the country to protect artists&#8217; voices with this legislation,&#8221; Lee said while announcing the bill, per <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2024/01/10/artificial-intelligence-bill-tennessee-music-songwriting-bill-lee/72183847007/">USA Today</a>. &#8220;And we hope it will be a blueprint for the country.&#8221;
The outlet noted that the bill hasn’t been formally introduced yet and the text isn’t available, but Lee described it as being inspired by the controversy with recording artist and Tennessee resident Elvis Presley following his death in 1977. At the time, there were multiple court battles and lawsuits over the use of Presley’s image without authorization. 
The bill is being called the ELVIS Act, as <a href="https://wpln.org/post/tennessee-proposal-aims-to-protect-musicians-from-ai-voice-impersonation/">reported</a> by Nashville outlet WPLN News, which stands for Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act.
The governor said the dangers of AI are similar because they allow unauthorized parties to replicate an artist’s image or sound without permission. 
Lee presented the bill at Nashville’s RCA Studio A while surrounded by a crowd of musicians, songwriters, and producers. “Every one of you who is an artist or an engineer or a producer,” the governor said, per WPLN. “You have a gift and it’s unique to you and it’s very important that not be copied, stolen, mocked. It’s very important that that be protected.”
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“We have laws in place that have that have protected up to [now],” Lee continued. “But technology changes and new protections are necessary in artificial intelligence.”
Similar bills are being introduced in other states as legislators and industry leaders attempt to regulate the use of AI, which has been a hot button topic lately. It was one of the key issues during last year’s SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes in Hollywood as actors and writers sought union protection from AI usage. 
The approved three year contracts for both organizations included guidelines and restrictions for the use of AI in those industries.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee Proposes Legislation Targeting AI In Music Industry

Artificial Intelligence

Entertainment

Music Industry

U.S.

Tennessee unveiled a broad new school choice initiative this week.
Governor Bill Lee (R) <a href="https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2023/11/28/gov--lee--legislative-leadership-call-for-statewide-school-choice--unveil-education-freedom-scholarship-act.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the Education Freedom Scholarship Act on Tuesday at the Tennessee State Museum alongside Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R). Arkansas adopted a universal school choice policy earlier this year.
Lee&#8217;s proposal would establish universal school choice for every public school student across the state.
Next school year, 20,000 scholarships would be available. Half of those would go to Tennessee students at or below 300% of the federal poverty line, who have a disability, or are eligible for the existing Education Savings Account pilot program.
By the school year that starts in 2025, all public school students would be eligible for a scholarship.
No bill has been formally filed in the legislature yet, but Lee <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2023/11/28/tennessee-school-choice-vouchers-gov-bill-lee-unveils-expanded-statewide-program/71714741007/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> his office would work with the legislature on the &#8220;final details&#8221; when the General Assembly reconvenes in January.
Families could spend their child&#8217;s scholarship money on tuition at a private or religious school, uniforms, technology, transportation, or home school expenses. Families can also spend the money on tutoring, after school programs, and SAT and ACT exam fees.
Lee also said the scholarship program would be funded separately from Tennessee&#8217;s Investment in Student Achievement funding structure for K-12 education.
Lee said Tennessee should do two things at once — strive to have the best public school system in the country and provide families with school choice.
&#8220;These two ideas are not in conflict, and conservative states across the country are proof,&#8221; Lee said in a statement provided to The Daily Wire.
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Lee added that he has &#8220;firsthand&#8221; knowledge of the benefits of school choice since his children have been in public school and private school and been homeschooled, and his wife is a teacher.
&#8220;We can all agree that every Tennessee child deserves a shot at success. Every student has unique needs and every classroom offers unique value,&#8221; Lee said. &#8220;Parents know best and should have the freedom to choose the right education for their child, regardless of income or zip code.&#8221;
Sanders praised Tennessee&#8217;s school choice plan, <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2023/11/28/tennessee-school-choice-vouchers-gov-bill-lee-unveils-expanded-statewide-program/71714741007/#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling</a> it part of &#8220;an absolute conservative education revolution in our country.”
A wave of school choice bills have worked their way through state legislatures in recent years. Arizona, Utah, Arkansas, Florida, Oklahoma, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, South Carolina, and New Hampshire <a href="https://www.vox.com/politics/23689496/school-choice-education-savings-accounts-american-federation-children" target="_blank" rel="noopener">were all</a> successful in creating or expanding school choice programs.
During the pandemic, parents across the country became frustrated with school COVID restrictions and controversial curriculum content, <a href="https://cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/parents-are-pulling-students-from-public-schools-at-record-rates-students-covid-pandemic-remote-learning-homeschooling-charter-private-mountain-districts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leading</a> many families to pull their children out of public school permanently.

Trinity Alps Unified School District

Tennessee Governor Unveils Bold New School Choice Initiative

Charter Schools

Homeschooling

Private Schools

Public Schools

Leftist <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/here-are-the-left-wing-legal-groups-backing-trans-procedures-on-kids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">legal groups</a>, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have asked the Supreme Court to strike down a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> law protecting children from undergoing life-altering transgender procedures. 
The ACLU, the ACLU of Tennessee, Lambda Legal, and the Akin Gump Strauss Hauer &amp; Feld law firm filed the <a href="https://wp.api.aclu.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/No.-__-Petition-For-A-Writ-Of-Certiorari.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">petition</a> on Wednesday claiming that the law prevents children from getting the “medical care” they need. The groups have claimed that the law violates the 14th Amendment, a claim that was previously rejected by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. 
“Over the past few months this vicious law has already had a disastrous impact in homes and communities across Tennessee,” said Lucas Cameron-Vaughn of the ACLU-TN. “Families are losing access to much-needed medical care that has allowed their children to flourish. This law denies these families’ dignity and signals to their children that they do not have the freedom to lead healthy and happy lives.”
Tennessee’s law, which was introduced by lawmakers after Daily Wire host Matt Walsh <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/huge-money-maker-video-reveals-vanderbilts-shocking-gender-care-threats-against-dissenting-doctors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released videos</a> showing a doctor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center discussing “huge money maker” transgender surgeries, was upheld in September by the 6th Circuit in a 2-1 ruling. 
The law, SB 1, prohibits surgeries on children such as double mastectomies on girls who identify as boys and other genital procedures. It also prohibits children from being put on cross-sex hormones or puberty blockers, things that can have long-term impacts on fertility, bone development, and other serious developmental side effects. 
After its passage and signage by Governor Bill Lee, the law was challenged in court the the ACLU and Lambda Legal on behalf of several families who have children who claim to be transgender.
A federal judge initially placed a preliminary injunction on the part of the bill banning cross-sex hormone and puberty blockers for children, but the 6th Circuit later <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-devastating-ruling-for-the-trans-cult-matt-walsh-breaks-down-federal-courts-quashing-of-aclu-in-tn-trans-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">overturned the injunction</a>, saying that it was constitutional. 
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The law was defended by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, who celebrated the 6th Circuit’s decision.
“This is a big win for democracy. Decisions that are not clearly resolved by the Constitution should be resolved by the people through their elected representatives. I am so proud of our team who stood strong against the overwhelming resources arrayed against Tennessee in this case,” he <a href="https://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/news/2023/9/28/pr23-41.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. 
If taken up by the Supreme Court, the case would have major national implications for the over 20 states that have moved to shield children from either transgender surgeries, hormone procedures, or both.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/here-are-the-left-wing-legal-groups-backing-trans-procedures-on-kids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RELATED: Here Are The Left-Wing Legal Groups Backing Trans Procedures On Children</a>

Drone view of Tennessee State Capitol

ACLU Asks Supreme Court To Strike Down Tennessee Law Protecting Kids From Transgender Procedures

ACLU

Matt Walsh

Supreme Court

transgender surgery

Millions of dollars of federal funding is being funneled to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/planned-parenthood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Planned Parenthood</a> in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee</a> in the latest conflict between the state and the Biden administration.
Earlier this year, the Biden administration disqualified Tennessee from being eligible for Title X “<a href="https://opa.hhs.gov/grant-programs/title-x-service-grants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">family planning</a>” funding because the state had blocked the money from going toward counseling for abortion. According to a new <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-politics/tn-planned-parenthood-gets-millions-in-federal-funding-originally-meant-to-go-to-the-state/?email=84885943124850418dccfffa5f984fb2b1450cf1&amp;emaila=6cb861e5998d3d6a1ce8452947dee058&amp;emailb=78504d1586e2066c8a05f4b619c2e64c552dbc337ec8d9ba2cb59caa7c91ecac&amp;utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Curated%20Morning%20Headlines%202023-09-28&amp;utm_content=morning%20headlines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a>, $3.9 million of federal money will be sent from the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood to the Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi.
“The federal government withheld critical funding from TN families, so they could funnel taxpayer dollars to a radical political organization. Some things should simply rise above politics — especially resources that TN mothers, children &amp; families have counted on for decades,” Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-lee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Lee</a> said.
“This is wrong on many levels, &amp; the federal government should correct their mistake. In the meantime, TN will continue to fill the void &amp; ensure families across our state receive the resources they need,” Lee added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The federal government withheld critical funding from TN families, so they could funnel taxpayer dollars to a radical political organization.
Some things should simply rise above politics—especially resources that TN mothers, children &amp; families have counted on for decades.
&mdash; Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovBillLee/status/1707046694725075107?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Department of Health and Human Services yanked Title X funding from Tennessee because the state’s Department of Health would not advise women to get abortions. Tennessee’s Title X guidelines <a href="https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/local/2023/04/03/tennessee-loses-millions-title-x-funding-for-contraception-family-planning/70052838007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stipulated</a> that facilities receiving the funding had to provide “information and counseling regarding all options that are legal in the State of Tennessee.&#8221;
In response to the policy, DHS told Tennessee that the “inclusion of ‘legal in the state of Tennessee’ is not an acceptable addition to your policy.”
Tennessee has some of the strongest pro-life laws in the country, not allowing abortions <a href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB1029&amp;GA=111" target="_blank" rel="noopener">except</a> to &#8220;prevent the death of the pregnant woman or to prevent serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman.&#8221;
<h4>Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi celebrated the news, with CEO Ashley Coffield claiming that Lee had “refused to comply with Title X requirements for unbiased patient information.”</h4>
“This funding does not cover the cost of our navigation services or the money that we provide to patients to travel out of state for their travel needs … Our donors will continue to support those services,” Coffield said.
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Conservative groups criticized the move, saying that it was a move to go after Tennessee’s sovereignty.
“The Biden Administration, unhappy with Tennessee’s status as perhaps the most Pro-Child state in the country, is continuing its war on Tennessee’s sovereignty by sending previously denied Title X funds to Planned Parenthood,” the Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition said in a statement. “It is also egregious to note that the Biden Administration ignores and enables the evil history and practices of Planned Parenthood by giving them more taxpayer dollars, as their founder Margaret Sanger demonstrated in her writings and speeches, as evidenced in their targeting of minority communities, and their sick practices involving the tissue of dead children.”
The funding for Planned Parenthood is just the latest example of a clash between Tennessee and the Biden administration. The Department of Justice sued the state over its law banning sex change procedures on children, and state lawmakers recently announced that they would look to reject federal education funding.

Last Abortion Clinic In Missouri Forced To Close At End Of May

Millions Of Federal Dollars Funneled To Planned Parenthood In Tennessee Despite State Opposition

Abortion

Department of Health and Human Services

Planned Parenthood

Social Issues

A coalition of states and a non-profit legal group separately filed briefs against a district court ruling on Wednesday that purported to block a Tennessee law restricting sexually explicit performances in front of children.
In late June, U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee blocked the state’s “Adult Entertainment Act” after Friends of George’s, a self-described “LGBTQ theatre company” based in Memphis, filed a suit challenging the law.
Parker said the law placed an unconstitutional restriction on freedom of speech and was “unconstitutionally vague and substantially overbroad.”
But an eighteen-state coalition and America First Legal group filed amicus briefs asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to overturn the district-court ruling and support Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, who immediately <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-moves-to-defend-laws-shielding-kids-from-trans-procedures-explicit-performances" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appealed</a> the judgment to defend the state law.
“Protecting children from obscene and lewd behavior is not a new idea. We need to let kids be kids, and the state has legal authority to ensure their protection,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said in a news release <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/tennessee/article_7c888a52-4723-11ee-9273-97c36b3a1f2e.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by The Center Square.
Wilson led the coalition that also included Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.
“I believe the Court wrongly ruled against the law, and I’m happy to lead a coalition of support for the law on appeal.”
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed the law in March that outlawed adult cabaret male or female impersonators from performing “nudity, sexual excitement, sexual conduct, excess violence or sadomasochistic abuse” on public property. However, such “drag shows” could still occur in age-restricted venues under the law.
America First Legal vice president and general counsel Gene Hamilton told The Daily Wire in an emailed statement that the legal group stands with Tennesseeans supporting the law.
“We are proud to stand with our friends in Tennessee in defense of innocent children, and in opposition to erroneous, sweeping court orders that misapply the law based on the urging of radical activists,” Hamilton said.
The legal group argued the district court’s ruling gave Memphis “pride” parade organizers, “drag queens,” and other performers complete freedom to expose children “to harmful sexualized content such as intercourse, masturbation, sado-masochism, and other perverted sex acts.”
“No child should ever be exposed to the conduct at issue in this case — ever — and it is our hope that the Sixth Circuit overturns the injunction in this case,” Hamilton added.

Didi Blue Hart performs in drag during a drag show and story ho

18-State Coalition, Legal Group File Briefs Against Court Ruling That Deemed TN Law Shielding Kids From Sexually Explicit Performances ‘Unconstitutional’

18-State Coalition, Legal Group Appeal Ruling That Deemed TN Law Shielding Kids From Sexually Explicit Performances "Unconstitutional"

Children

Courts

Drag Queens

Drag show

Free Speech

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A special session of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tennessee">Tennessee</a> General Assembly called by Republican Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-lee">Bill Lee</a> to deal with “public safety” began on Monday as Left-leaning protesters gathered to push for more gun control.
The August 21 special session comes months after a transgender-identifying shooter killed six people at The Covenant School in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nashville">Nashville</a>, and Lee has advocated for a variation of a red flag law. In his proclamation earlier this month, Lee said that the session would deal with issues of mental health, gun storage guidelines, human trafficking, and “temporary mental health orders of protection.”
The first meeting of the Senate ended after about 20 minutes while the House session went on for almost two hours. Republican Senator Janice Bowling moved to the end the session saying that it there was no emergency that <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2023/08/21/live-updates-tennessee-legislature-special-session-public-safety-guns-starts/70618843007/">required</a> the extra meeting. Last week Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson said that red flag laws and any kind of order of protection laws had a zero percent chance of making it through during the special session.
Debate in the House focused on the rules, including debate on whether to adopt new disciplinary rules for members who cause disruptions.
During the debate, Democrat lawmakers claimed the rules were undemocratic and Rep. Justin Jones claimed Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton was racist. Jones was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-gop-expels-democrat-following-state-capitol-storming">previously expelled</a> from the House for helping to lead a protest from the House floor that disrupted proceedings.
After 80 minutes of debate, the rules package passed 73-23. “These rules provide equality for 99 members who represent 7 million Tennesseans,” Republican Rep. Gino Bulso said. &#8220;If a member cannot conduct the member&#8217;s self with civility, they ought to sit down.&#8221;
Democrat Rep. Jeremy Pearson, another of the Democrats who was expelled for leading a protest from the House floor, said Republicans only offer thoughts and prayers after shootings. Pearson previously voted against a bipartisan bill that included school safety measures in the aftermath of the Covenant shooting.
Protesters chanted and screamed at Republican lawmakers as they left the House floor after the session was adjourned. Some protesters in and around the capitol building in Nashville held up signs like &#8220;we demand gun reform,&#8221; &#8220;protect kids not guns,&#8221; and &#8220;no more dead children.&#8221; Several groups were wearing shirts by the group Moms Demand Action and a group of Covenant mothers.
There were several people in attendance who opposed of red flag laws. Chavez Lopez, who works as an electrical engineer in Nashville, said that he was there to make his voice heard and support the Second Amendment. He told The Daily Wire he was disappointed that there were not more pro-Second Amendment protesters present.
Several members of the Nashville Young Republicans were also present at the capitol. &#8220;The Nashville Young Republicans are proud to stand with our leaders as they advocate for the safety of our communities across the state. Our Republican leadership needs our support as they continue to fight to ensure that gun rights are not curtailed in our state,&#8221; the Nashville Young Republicans told The Daily Wire after both the Senate and House had adjourned.

Nashville Students Hold Walkout To Demand Gun Safety In Wake Of School Shooting

Gun Control Protesters Show Up In Tennessee As ‘Public Safety’ Special Session Begins

Gun Control

The Covenant School

Tennessee Republican Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bill-lee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Lee</a> has called a special session to deal with “public safety” as Democrats in the state push for more gun control. 
The August 21 special session will come months after a transgender-identifying shooter killed six people at The Covenant School in Nashville, and Lee has advocated for a variation of a red flag law. In his <a href="https://tnsos.net/publications/proclamations/files/2517.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proclamation</a> this week, Lee said that the session would deal with issues of mental health, gun storage guidelines, human trafficking, and “temporary mental health orders of protection.” 
“As our nation faces evolving public safety threats, Tennessee remains vigilant and is taking continued action to protect communities while preserving the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens,” Lee <a href="https://www.tn.gov/governor/news/2023/8/8/gov--lee-issues-official-call--presents-legislative-priorities-ahead-of--public-safety-special-session.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. 
Republican leadership in the legislature has largely opposed any consideration of potential red flag legislation, while Lee’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/poll-most-tennesseans-want-authorities-focusing-on-dangerous-people-not-guns-as-governor-pushes-order-of-protection-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener">office has said</a> his proposal shouldn’t be considered a red flag proposal. 
“To be clear, the Governor does not support red flag laws. His proposal is different from any law across the country – it would strengthen Tennessee’s existing law around the order of protection process for cases of domestic violence and enhance support for law enforcement, ensure due process, require the highest burden of proof, and boost mental health support,” Press Secretary Jade Byers told The Daily Wire in June. 
Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson and House Speaker Cameron Sexton, both Republicans, have <a href="https://www.wkrn.com/news/tennessee-politics/tn-public-safety-special-session/?email=84885943124850418dccfffa5f984fb2b1450cf1&amp;emaila=6cb861e5998d3d6a1ce8452947dee058&amp;emailb=78504d1586e2066c8a05f4b619c2e64c552dbc337ec8d9ba2cb59caa7c91ecac&amp;utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Breaking%20News%20-%20WKRN%20-%20Breaking%20News%20-%20August%208%2C%202023%2C%2010:28%20pm%20UTC&amp;utm_content=breaking%20news&amp;utm_term=Breaking%20News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicated</a> that any red flag-style legislation would be a non-starter. 
“From a philosophical standpoint, I have always opposed what is commonly referred to as a red flag, order of protection bill, again, because I deem them to be ineffective,” Johnson said. “Certainly in the wake of the Supreme Court decision, known as the Bruen decision, I think they are constitutionally suspect at best, blatantly unconstitutional at worst.”
“As far as the enhanced orders of protection, red flag laws, yeah, you’re not going to see us go down that road,” Sexton said on Tuesday. 
Some Republicans have urged the release of the manifesto from The Covenant School shooter before the special session, while the Tennessee Executive Republican Committee has <a href="https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2023/aug/05/tennessee-gop-executive-committee-tfp/#:~:text=—%20Tennessee%20Republican%20State%20Executive%20Committee,despite%20most%20GOP%20leaders%27%20opposition." target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the session should be canceled. 
The announcement comes as Democrats in the state take a bus tour to talk about gun violence, making its final stop in Nashville as the session begins. 
“Since Republicans gained controlling power, the Tennessee General Assembly has loosened gun laws and abolished common sense gun safety reforms, such as mandatory gun safety classes and background checks for going armed, gun permits, and restrictions on carrying in many public places,” a <a href="https://tnsenatedems.medium.com/statewide-bus-tour-to-end-gun-violence-rolls-towards-special-session-525c7101f67a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> from the Democratic Senate caucus said. 
Conservative groups in the state have vocally opposed any move toward red flag laws.
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“Governor Lee’s <a href="https://tnsos.net/publications/proclamations/files/2517.pdf">proclamation</a> makes it abundantly clear that he is on board with the long standing calls from notable Democrats like Justin Jones and Joe Biden to enact gun control in Tennessee,” John Harris of the Tennessee Firearms Association <a href="https://tennesseefirearms.com/news/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>. “Rather than just being candid and stating he wants a Red Flag law, Bill Lee urges for the passage of a &#8216;temporary mental health order of protection&#8217; as he did in April 2023 shortly after the Covenant School murders.”
The Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition, a conservative policy and advocacy group, has previously urged Lee to cancel the special session and has vocally opposed red flag laws. In a statement following Lee’s proclamation, they pointed to aspects of the proclamation that would deal with human trafficking. 
“As we’ve noted before, while noting certain areas of disagreement on certain other issues, we’ve had very productive meetings with Governor Lee and his staff on this issue, making a mutual commitment to work together in the furtherance of destroying child and human trafficking,” a statement from the group said.

Tennessee Governor Calls For ‘Public Safety’ Special Session As Democrats Push For Gun Control

Tennessee Governor Calls For 'Public Safety' Special Session As Democrats Push For Gun Control

Most <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gov-bill-lee-to-send-tennessee-national-guard-troops-to-combat-unprecedented-crisis-at-the-border" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennesseans</a> want authorities to focus on arresting dangerous people rather than confiscating weapons from those deemed mentally ill, according to a new poll that comes as Republican Governor Bill Lee <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gov-bill-lee-calls-on-legislature-to-pass-red-flag-law-signs-exec-order-intensifying-gun-background-checks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pushes</a> for a variation of a red flag law following the Covenant School shooting. 
Two-thirds of those surveyed want current laws to be enforced to remove dangerous people from the public “rather than passing new ones that would leave them in the neighborhood,” according to a <a href="https://coefficient.org/tn-2a-memo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">co/efficient poll</a> shared exclusively with The Daily Wire. Lee has called for a special session in August to pass the gun legislation, sparking debate within the Tennessee GOP, which is largely made up of staunch pro-Second Amendment conservatives. Lee’s office attempted to assuage <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/conservatives-slam-tennessee-gov-lee-for-calling-special-session-after-lawmakers-reject-gun-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conservative fears</a>, telling The Daily Wire that the governor’s proposal is different from red flag laws passed by other states. 
“To be clear, the Governor does not support red flag laws. His proposal is different from any law across the country – it would strengthen Tennessee&#8217;s existing law around the order of protection process for cases of domestic violence and enhance support for law enforcement, ensure due process, require the highest burden of proof, and boost mental health support,” said Press Secretary Jade Byers. 
The co/efficient survey, conducted between May 30 and June 1, gathered data from 1,770 likely general election voters. According to the poll, Lee gained support among voters when he signed a bill into law requiring an armed security officer at every Tennessee public school — 77% of those surveyed supported the move.
“It’s important to note that this proposal is just one part of the ongoing, larger conversation with legislators about a number of proposals to strengthen public safety and preserve constitutional rights,” Byers added. “The Governor will continue to work with the General Assembly to secure schools and protect communities, just like we did with our strong school safety package this year, which included more than $230 million to&#8221; various school security and mental health resources. 
The Republican governor&#8217;s push for more school security and an &#8220;order of protection&#8221; law comes in the wake of a shooter murdering three students and three adults at The Covenant School in Nashville on March 27. The 28-year-old trans-identifying shooter was receiving treatment for an “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashville-shooter-was-receiving-treatment-for-emotional-disorder-police" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emotional disorder</a>,” according to Nashville police, and her parents did not want her to own guns.
Red flag laws, also called “extreme risk protection” laws, are in effect in 19 states — including in Republican-led Indiana and Florida. The controversial laws specifically target those deemed to have mental health issues and allow a state court to issue an order for law enforcement to confiscate weapons from those ruled to be at risk.
Opponents of red flag laws argue that they pose a threat to Second Amendment rights and due process, and do not prevent criminal acts. Lee’s proposal is slightly different as it requires a hearing where a person can offer a defense before a judge would be allowed to order authorities to confiscate weapons, <a href="https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2023/jun/03/tn-gov-lees-red-flag-proposal-narrower-slower-tfp/#/questions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Before ordering that a person’s guns be taken away, a judge would have to see proof of &#8220;mental illness, serious behavioral condition or serious emotional disturbance.&#8221;
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When first surveyed, 62% of Tennessee voters backed a red flag law, but that support dropped to just 41% after the survey explained that the law confiscates firearms of those deemed to have a mental illness but “leaves threatening individuals in the community.” Thirty-seven percent said they oppose a red flag law and 22% are unsure.
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton told The Daily Wire that he is currently working to prepare for the special session, emphasizing that he wants to focus on re-examining existing laws.
“I do not support red flag laws,&#8221; Sexton said. &#8220;I have been working with stakeholders, the medical community, law enforcement, and the judicial system in preparation for the special session. We have existing laws in code that can be used; we must re-examine how they are or are not working, revise them if necessary, and close any existing loopholes.&#8221;

Poll: Most Tennesseans Want Authorities Focusing On Dangerous People, Not Guns, As Governor Pushes ‘Order Of Protection’ Law

Poll: Most Tennesseans Want Authorities To Focusing On Dangerous People, Not Guns, As Governor Pushes 'Order Of Protection' Law 

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