A West Tennessee legislator introduced a bill Wednesday to ban the sale and possession of bump stocks within the state.
State Sen. Lee Harris, a Democrat from Memphis, said it should be illegal to buy, sell or possess any device designed to accelerate the fire of a semi-automatic rifle in Tennessee.
In a series of tweets, Harris said, "devices like bump stock devices that can lead to mass carnage and mass shootings have no justifiable reason for sale or possession."
Devices like bump stock devices that can lead to mass carnage and mass shootings have no justifiable reason for sale or possession.
— Senator Lee Harris (@SenDemLeaderTN) October 17, 2017
Bump stocks allow a shooter to fire a semi-automatic weapon faster. The device replaces a semi-automatic rifle's factory stock, and uses the recoil of the weapon to repeatedly "bump" the trigger, significantly increasing the rate of fire.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives approved bump stocks in 2010.
The device received new scrutiny earlier this month after investigators said twelve bump stocks were found in the hotel room of the Las Vegas shooting gunman. The shooting killed 58 people and injured hundreds more.
Harris introduced Senate Bill 1472 on Wednesday, which would make buying, selling or possessing a bump stock a felony in Tennessee.
Harris said he is "encouraged" by talks of banning bump stocks at the federal level, but said he doesn't want to wait for federal legislation to ban the device in Tennessee.
While we wait on Washington to ban bump stock devices, the devices are being sold at a rapid rate. We must act now in Tennessee.
— Senator Lee Harris (@SenDemLeaderTN) October 16, 2017
Our TN bill will ensure bump stock devices are neither sold nor possessed. After all, there is no sporting reason to fire at 400 rounds/min.
— Senator Lee Harris (@SenDemLeaderTN) October 17, 2017
After the Las Vegas shooting, the NRA issued a statement asking for a federal review of bump stocks.
The Tennessee General Assembly reconvenes in January.