NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Tennessee representative from Maryville asked Governor Bill Lee to abandon a proposed Aug. 21 special session of the General Assembly.
Representative Bryan Richey (R - Maryville) posted a letter on social media on Tuesday asking Governor Bill Lee not to go ahead with his proposal to call lawmakers back to Nashville and pass public safety legislation. It was signed by two other lawmakers, Rep. Todd Warner (R - Chapel Hill), and Senator Janice Bowling (R - Tullahoma).
"The General Assembly adamantly opposes — and has refused to enact — measures that violate Tennesseans' Second Amendment rights, whether styled 'order of protection' legislation or any other euphemism," the letter says.
Before the 113th General Assembly adjourned in April, Lee asked lawmakers to pass a law that would allow law enforcement to ask courts to bless the removal of weapons and ammunition from people who pose a threat to themselves or others. It was called a "temporary mental health order of protection."
The letter specifically says lawmakers would reject proposals for any kind of "red flag" law.
Gov. Lee later proposed the Aug. 21 special session to pass laws focusing on public safety. Following the Covenant School shooting, advocates gather at the state Capitol to call for gun control measures, such as "red flag" laws.
"The Covenant tragedy would not have been averted by a 'red flag' law in any event. Your proposed special session is a solution in search of a problem," the letter says.
The Metro Nashville Police Department previously said that the Covenant School shooter had legally bought seven guns.
"If it had been reported... there's not a law for that, but had it been reported that she was suicidal or that she was going to kill someone and it had been made known to us, then we would have tried to get those weapons," said MNPD Chief John Drake.
The letter claims that the proposed special session was "calculated to pressure legislators" into passing a "red flag" law. Gov. Lee previously said that it was meant so lawmakers could pursue thoughtful solutions.
"We can strengthen our criminal penalties and protect our people at any time. It doesn't not require a special session — a session that will be a political event to put pressure on conservative Republicans to grow government and ignore the will of their constituents in service to the national woke mob that will descend on the Capitol," the letter says.
During the 113th General Assembly, lawmakers voted not to pass gun safety bills that would have required guns to be secured in vehicles or created the governor's requested "temporary mental health order of protection." However, they did pass a bill that protects the gun industry from lawsuits related to shootings.
Richey also wrote "press reports indicate" activists were planning to organize demonstrations during the special session. Information about specifically which reports it referenced was not immediately available.
"It is true that the Governor has the constitutional prerogative to call a special session. It is in our view wholly inappropriate to do so when the legislature, which has a supermajority of members of the same political party as the Governor, has voted to adjourn. There is no emergency, declared or otherwise, that justifies calling us back to work in August," the letter says.
The letter ends by saying they hoped the General Assembly would meet to make "Tennessee safe, proposerous, and free" in January.
The governor's office said they were aware of the letter. A statement from the governor's office is below.
Separately, the Governor looks forward to pursuing thoughtful solutions with the General Assembly in August to ensure public safety and preserve constitutional rights.