Bill Preventing Local Governments From Enforcing Red Flag Gun Laws Passes Tennessee House (Update 5.1.24)
***Update 5.1.24 – Senator Janice Bowling informed us that the federal component of the bill was deleted. She also told us that Tennessee passed a law over 12 years ago stating that no money can be spent to enforce Red Flag Laws. The article has been updated to reflect this change.***
Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Legislation that would prevent local governments from establishing or enforcing red flag gun laws made it through the Tennessee House of Representatives on Wednesday.
House Bill 2035 (HB2035), sponsored by Representative Jody Barrett (R-Dickson-District 69), will preempt “the entire field of legislation regarding extreme risk protection orders [ERPOs] to the exclusion of all county, city, town, municipality, or metropolitan government law, ordinances, resolutions, enactments, or regulation.”
The legislation also makes null and void in Tennessee, any federal statute, rule, executive order, or federal judicial order requiring the enforcement of an ERPO.
A Class A misdemeanor offense of “attempting to enforce a federally implemented extreme risk protection order” is also created by this bill.
The House moved to substitute and conform to companion Senate Bill 2763 (SB2763), which passed the Senate on April 11.
Representative Justin Pearson (D-Memphis-District 86) voiced that he was “vehemently” opposed to the legislation because they were trying to preempt something that Tennessee citizens have asked for in response to gun violence.
Pearson also argued that the bill takes away the power of local governments to protect their citizens.
“We have failed, and we continue to fail on the issue of gun violence prevention,” shouted Pearson.
Representative Bob Freeman (D-Nashville-District 56) continued that sentiment, saying that he had a problem with taking that choice away from local governments.
Barrett responded that last year, when districts were given the chance to control school safety on their own, Nashville opted to not put SROs in every school, so the fear is that local governments will not take any action.
After a vote, the legislation passed with 73 ayes and 24 nayes.
Republican Representative Sam Whitson (R-Franklin-District 65) joined the Democrats in voting No on the legislation.
The companion Senate Bill 2763 (SB2763) was passed on April 11.
I know Sam Whitson well…he is a man of integrity. I voted for and supported him in his campaigns. But, I wonder out loud if he has also been a bit deceptive. I’d say at least, a small number of his voters and original supporters, like me, ‘thought’ they were electing a real conservative, but his true moderate colors are shining through in this his last session given several of his recent votes. Most of which, have proven where his political leanings sit. Why can’t those who run for office just be honest with the voters and tell them the truth? Voters in the 65th have some clear choices to replace Sam. And, I hope they are not deceived again this time. We have proven moderates and proven conservatives in the race for the 65th House District. I hope the voters will thoroughly investigate them. I hope they’ll be asked simple questions like, “How would you have voted on HB2035?”. And, I hope these candidates will simply admit who they are so the voters have a real choice, and then, may the best candidate win.
We need term limits. Life time politicians are one of our greatest problems. They are completely removed from reality and are more concerned with power and perks.
Worthless Sam Whitson is not a “lifetime politician” Brigette so that couldn’t be his problem. What is his problem is that he is ideologically a tepid conservative and we conservatives have never had anyone to run against him for as long as he was in the General Assembly.
Term limits take away the freedom of voters to vote for whomever they want. It is undemocratic and otherwise it is a solution to absolutely nothing. Conservatives should have nothing to do with fashionable, bad undemocratic ideas.
He is retiring this term … He is NOT running for reelection.
Any debate over him is irrelevant … Except to learn a lessons for the next elections!
In District 65, we now have a primary and the following are Republican candidates:
Brian Beathard
Michelle Foreman
Lee Reeves
Of those 3, voters Must Vet and vote for the candidate that is a conservative, fire in the belly Republican! And then hold them accountable to the positions they took in their campaign after they are elected to office.
If voters do not participate in the primary process by getting to know the candidates, showing up, meeting/greeting, listening and asking questions, and then volunteering, donating and voting accordingly … then we voters get the elected politician we deserve!
If we conservative voters do not get fully involved and vested in the primary process then We are 100% Responsible for who is elected and have no room to complain
Whitson is retiring. This was his last term.
Lack of support due to his “moderate” positions may have played a factor.
Term limits are 100% within the voter’s power … VOTE!!!!
Especially in the primary.
All due respect Victor, the time for coyness has long passed. DARN IT, the time has come to name names! “Worthless” Whitson (TLRC-71%/F), one of five designated by the “2023 RINO Report” as “Top RINO” has long been one of the most liberal Republican members of the General Assembly. As he leaves, he has designated Brian Beathard as the one he has endorsed to succeed him. Brian has promised to be just as worthless as Sam. Willianson County conservatives we must not let Sam Beathard succeed Worthless Sam Whitson!!!!
I have not entirely made up my mind as to who I will support for the Dist. 65 race, as unfortunately there are two candidates running a strong conservatives, but I am leaning toward Lee Reeves who promises to be a representative like Rookie of the Year nominee Gino Bulso who happens to be my representative. Tennessee conservatives, we have another tepid conservative in the making in Brian Beathard. BRIAN MUST BE STOPPED!
THANK YOU FOR GETTING INVOLVED IN THE PRIMARY!
This is the way to make a difference!
Fool! Sam Whitson is not a man of integrity! He’s a duplicitous far left lunatic, supports left wing terrorists, supports pedophiles (which makes him one to), supports grooming and child mutilation, hates parents rights.
Sam Whitson is not only a disgrace to Franklin, he’s a disgrace to humanity.
Ray … your rant regarding Sam Whitson is outdate, ineffective and a waste of time.
Whitson is retiring, not running.
Spend you energy and our time reading the comments in electing a Conservative Republican in the Primary in District 65. Vet, Volunteer, Vote!
Choices:
Brian Beathard
Michelle Foreman
Lee Reeves
Issues there are:
1) there appear to be no actual conservatives in the Williamson county Republican party. Every elected Republican out of Williamson seems to be to the left of AOC.
2) the few times I’ve seen actual conservatives run, they never seem to win. Talk to election rigging traitor Jon Duda about that. I have no doubt that an investigation of his finances would reveal interesting information about why elections in Williamson always seem to go the way they do.
Please put Justin Pearson on a bus to california or new york where he will fit in better than he does in Tennessee.
Ray, I’ll excuse your rudeness as ‘just having a bad day’! As I said, I know Sam Whitson very well, you obviously do not know him at all……he is a former military man and served his country with distinction and honor. He is a well respected family man and a faithful husband. I too very much disagree with his political positions, but we do not have to go ‘scorched earth’ when we disagree politically, even passionately. I am a passionate conservative and I too believe that I can no longer, hold my nose and vote, especially when we have choices. The voters in the 65th have three candidates, all of them are not real conservatives. I hope the voters will vet them well, because the media is NOT likely to ask any very tough questions. Look at their past voting records in their leadership roles and I believe you’ll see through their slick campaign promotional materials.