(ConservativeHub.com) – On Tuesday, April 23, a Republican-backed bill passed in Tennessee with an overwhelming majority of lawmakers supporting it. The bill aims to give schoolteachers the right to carry firearms while on school grounds. However, the names of the instructors who are armed would not be made public.
Earlier in April, GOP lawmakers in Tennessee approved Senate Bill 1325, which passed with a 26-5 vote. The bill gives certain faculty members and teachers the right to carry a firearm on school grounds. Those who qualify, however, would need to meet a number of certain conditions.
Teachers would need to have a handgun carry permit and receive authorization from both local law enforcement and the school’s principal. To receive authorization, teachers would be required to undergo a total of 40 hours of handgun training. The teacher would also not be blocked from buying, possessing, or carrying a handgun under state or federal law as long as they pass the background check.
On Tuesday, the state House also approved a sister bill by a 68-28 vote. The bill will officially become law if Gov. Bill Lee signs it.
The Covenant School shooting last year, where a shooter left three children and three adults dead in the private Nashville elementary school, has resulted in students, teachers, and even Democratic lawmakers criticizing the passing of the bill. Protesters on Tuesday cried out, “Blood on your hands.” House Speaker Cameron Sexton called for the removal of the protesters from the balcony by authorities.
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