Governor Lee Signs Bill To Prohibit Civil Suits Against Firearms Dealers

Image Credit: Gov. Bill Lee / Facebook

The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –

Governor Bill Lee has signed legislation that provides extra protections against civil lawsuits for firearms and ammunition dealers, manufacturers, and sellers.

The bill passed the House before the March 27th shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville. The legislation did not make it through the Senate until the middle of April. 

The new law “limits the circumstances under which a qualified civil liability action may be brought against certain manufacturers, dealers, and sellers of firearms and related products.” The bill outlines only a few instances in which a lawsuit could be brought against those entities. The law will go into effect on July 1st. 

The legislation was sponsored by Conservative Republican legislators in the House and Senate. House Bill 1189 was sponsored by Representative Monty Fritts (R-Kingston-District 32) and Senate Bill 0822 was sponsored by Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald-District 28).

Democrats say that Republicans are looking out for the gun industry instead of Tennessee children.

“With regards to the law, the GOP supermajority is more focused on protecting firearms and manufacturers and dealers than protecting our children and communities,” said Representative John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville-District 55).

Governor Lee, however, noted that he had authorized over $230 million “to strengthen safety at public and private schools across Tennessee.”

As the 2023 legislative session got started, Lee introduced legislation that would increase security at all Tennessee public schools, along with a new budget proposal that would allocate $30 million to place 122 Homeland Security agents at public and private schools across the state.

After the Covenant School shooting, Lee also worked with legislators to focus even more funding in the ’23-’24 budget to ensure that an armed officer would be stationed at every public school, to enhance school safety measures at all schools, and to provide students and teachers with more resources for dealing with mental health issues.

Lee stated, “Nothing is more important than Tennessee students and teachers returning home from school safely each day.”

Plans are still in the works to bring legislators back to the Capitol in August for a special session “to strengthen public safety and preserve constitutional rights.”

Lee is still pushing for lawmakers to support his proposed “temporary mental health order of protection” which is intended to prevent individuals who may harm themselves or others from accessing guns. Critics state that this ‘order of protection law’ is the textbook definition of a ‘Red Flag’ law, which conservatives and second amendment advocates strongly oppose.

About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative  ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career.  Most recently, he served as Deputy Director for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others.  He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History.  Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com

One thought on “Governor Lee Signs Bill To Prohibit Civil Suits Against Firearms Dealers

  • May 18, 2023 at 6:00 pm
    Permalink

    RINO Bill hits a few good licks.
    Makes me wonder if his special session is to “do something” to placate our dimmercraps.

    Reply

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