KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Governor Bill Lee has 18 proposed public safety ideas that he wants to be addressed at the upcoming special session in Nashville on Aug. 21. The topics range include human trafficking, increased mental health resources and more school security funding.
"What the governor is proposing is very reasonable and not controversial, and I'm hopeful we can get some measures passed," said Sen. Richard Briggs (R - Knoxville).
"None of this addresses the gun violence problem we have in our state," said Rep. Gloria Johnson (D - Knoxville).
One of the priorities the governor is proposing would lower the legal age when a person could be tried as an adult for a crime to 16 years old. Rep. Johnson says that the proposal creates a school-to-prison pipeline for juveniles.
"A lot of it is to fill these private prisons we have. You know, prisons should not be an industry where we need to keep private companies open," said Johnson.
Sen. Briggs says that this is for serious offenses only.
"We have juveniles that propose a real danger and risk to the public and they need to be prosecuted differently," said Briggs.
Both lawmakers agree that stricter background checks are needed.
"There's a consensus with the public that there are people who shouldn't have guns so when they go to buy a gun or get a permit, law enforcement and sellers need to know that they are not permitted to have guns," said Briggs.
Democrats say that the proposals from the governor don't have the state's best interest in mind.
"Republicans use special sessions to sneak in their own pet projects that people don't want to see happen, and that's what they're doing now," said Johnson.