From Cleveland Daily Banner: Local state-elected officials are in lockstep in their support of a Bradley County Republican Party resolution opposi
From Cleveland Daily Banner: Local state-elected officials are in lockstep in their support of a Bradley County Republican Party resolution opposing the potential introduction of so-called red flag laws during the Tennessee General Assembly’s special legislative session – set to begin in late summer.
The special session, called by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in May, will convene on Aug. 21, and will be held in response to the March 27 shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville that resulted in the deaths of three 9-year-old students and three adults.
Tennessee state Rep. Dan Howell (R-Ocoee) told the Cleveland Daily Banner he “encouraged the Bradley County GOP to make their feelings known about the upcoming special session.”
“I suggested they send it, not only to my office but to the General Assembly’s leadership as well as the governor,” he said in a text message. “I applaud this kind of citizen engagement. It’s important for legislators to clearly understand the views of those we represent.”
The resolution – released on Tuesday, June 13 – urges all Tennessee elected officials “to respect and uphold our Second Amendment rights and reject any proposals that infringe upon the right to keep and bear arms.”
“The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the fundamental right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms, and this right is essential to our personal safety and security, as well as to the preservation of our individual freedoms,” the resolution stressed, adding county Republican Party members “firmly” believe the Second Amendment should be “upheld and defended against any efforts to restrict or infringe upon this constitutional right.”
The resolution emphasized “responsible gun ownership and use are critical components of our society.”
“Efforts to improve safety and reduce violent crime must be focused on addressing the root causes of criminal behavior, rather than penalizing law-abiding gun owners,” the resolution stated.
Red flag laws are described in the Bradley County GOP’s resolution as “extreme risk-protection orders” and can result in the “potential to strip individuals of their right to self-defense.
In addition, the county GOP claims such laws “lack adequate due process safeguards, rely on subjective determinations,” as well as “presumptions and predictions of future behavior.”
As a result, such laws “may lead to the seizure of property without a criminal conviction or a fair opportunity to challenge the allegations.”
In May, when Lee announced the upcoming special session, he said he wanted legislators to discuss solutions to “keep Tennessee communities safe and preserve the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens.”
“There is broad agreement that action is needed, and in the weeks ahead, we’ll continue to listen to Tennesseans and pursue thoughtful, practical measures that strengthen the safety of Tennesseans, preserve Second Amendment rights, prioritize due process protections, support law enforcement and address mental health,” he said.
Lee said he would meet with legislators, stakeholders and Tennesseans throughout the summer to discuss practical solutions ahead of the special session.
In text messages to the Banner, Kevin Raper (R-Cleveland), as well as Tennessee state Sen. J. Adam Lowe (R-Calhoun), also expressed strong support for the Second Amendment.
Raper said when he was running for office, he promised constituents he would protect their Second Amendment rights.
“This promise included opposing red flag laws, although, I am always looking for ways to increase public safety and especially school environments,” he said.
When the General Assembly was in session earlier this year, Raper said legislators passed “the largest increase in school safety [legislation] for a state in American history.”
“This provided funding for an SRO at every public, private and charter school in Tennessee,” he said.
Raper said when the special legislative session convenes, he plans on standing by the promises made during his campaign.
Lowe said he was grateful for those “who are speaking up” in District 1.
“Often times the Nashville bubble forgets the opinions and values of greater Tennessee,” he said. “I expect resolutions like this to come from not only the GOP, but from many of our governing bodies.”
He said “people want solutions that work to address violence in our culture.”
However, he said there are “no quick fixes” to complex issues.
“Further laws that harm law-abiding people are not solutions,” he said. “We have existing laws that address those who wish others harm.”
Instead, Lowe said “solutions that empower law enforcement and mental health professionals to act on those laws” are needed.
“We need education and understanding of what leads people to such desperate acts,” he said.
In the coming session, Lowe said he will be proposing bills that seek to address the “origins of violent ideations.”
“We will empower our police, educators and families with the tools needed,” he said. “And we can do those things without violating constitutional rights to arms, due process and presumption of innocence.”
He also noted the “historic” passage of the $220 million school safety bill.
“I have presented these additional policy considerations to the governor and leadership in hopes that we can continue our aggressive focus on protecting children in our state without getting lost in typical political power plays,” he said.
