NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Following a vote allowing Tennessee teachers to bring guns to school, several lawmakers faced votes accusing them of breaking House rules. Only one was formally penalized for it — Rep. Justin Jones (D - Nashville).
He was accused of filming on the House floor. Jones is a member of the Tennessee Three — a group that faced expulsion votes following demonstrations calling for gun reform in April 2023. He was voted out of his seat by lawmakers before being voted back into it by his district's voters.
Jones was seen filming on the House floor Tuesday with his phone, following an outburst from members of the public.
The gallery was chanting, "Blood on your hands" and, "Vote them out," following discussions on a bill allowing teachers to bring guns to schools. The bill has been an intense part of the gun violence discussion in Tennessee, and it was shelved in 2023 after the protests following the deadly Covenant School shooting.
Jones was then accused by another lawmaker of filming on the House floor, and lawmakers voted to penalize him. Under the House rules, lawmakers can vote on whether they agree a representative broke the rules. If the vote passes, lawmakers can be silenced for the day, or longer. The Republican supermajority passed the motion.
Rep. Jason Zachary (R - Knoxville) also accused Jones of "continually breaking the rules" and filming on the House floor a second time. That vote passed as well.
Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D - Nashville) also brought a motion accusing Rep. Chris Todd (R - Madison County) of breaking the rules by intentionally "inflicting physical contact" against a Democratic lawmaker.
Lawmakers did not find that the Republican lawmaker broke the rules.
Another motion was brought accusing Rep. Jerome Moon (R - Maryville) of breaking the rules by filming on the House floor. Republican lawmakers also voted against the motion and did not find him to have broken the rules.
The House then went on to its regular agenda, considering another bill.
