The special session on public safety ended much as it has proceeded over the last week, with chaos.
After the session wrapped up in the House, Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, and Representative Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, collided with each other as Sexton was making his way out of the chamber and Pearson and fellow Representative Justin Jones, D-Nashville, were holding signs close to the speaker’s face. A verbal altercation between Sexton and Pearson ensued with both lawmakers accusing the other of shoving them before other lawmakers stepped in to separate the two.
The crowded scene played out as spectators in the gallery shouted, “voted them out.”
News Channel 5 later reported Representative Pearson is considering filing assault charges while Speaker Sexton told reporters the initial bump occurred as he was trying to avoid a cameraman in the crowded House well.
“I didn’t even look back to see if there was anybody there because I didn’t feel anybody there,” said Sexton. “What I can tell you I did feel was when I turned, and I came back Representative Pearson came up and bumped me on my shoulder and pushed me to my left. I did feel that.”
The alleged shove is the latest in a series of controversial events that have played out during the special session. On multiple occasions spectators have been removed from House proceedings and Monday night Democrats walked out of a House session in protest of a decision to silence Representative Jones.
Governor Bill Lee called for the special session earlier this month to address gaps in public safety and even opened the door for lawmakers to pass a temporary mental health order of protection law, sometimes called a “red flag law.” Instead, members of the General Assembly passed no major mental health reforms and the disagreements frequently extended beyond partisanship.
House leaders passed more than a dozen bills during the session and wanted to vote on more, but opted to adjourn until January following the Senate’s decision to pass just four pieces of legislation.
“They have made it clear that they are not taking up any additional bills. Unfortunately, we have no additional business to attend to in this body. And by the way, I wish we did. And in four short months, we will be back here on this floor, and I hope we continue the work that we began in this special session,” said Representative William Lamberth, R-Portland.
Lamberth’s comments faced push back from some Democrats who wanted to continue discussing legislation.
“It’s interesting we give a hoot about what the Senate is doing now. All week, the Senate is the Senate, the House is the House, we don’t care what’s going on in the Senate, let the Senate do their business. But now we give a hoot about that,” said Representative Karen D. Camper, D-Memphis, “And I just think it’s unfair to this body, to the people that’s watching and streaming. Let’s have a real deliberation of what’s going on.”
The abbreviated proceedings and adjournment Tuesday was especially upsetting for Representative Jones who hoped to hold a no confidence vote on Speaker Sexton. The adjournment prevented any vote.
“Is there a way for us to make sure that we have a vote of no confidence before adjourning and to have democracy played out in this House, or has the determination already been made that ending session without doing anything and not allowing members to voice motions that you’ve been informed of for days,” said Jones.
Senate Refuses to Pass Additional Legislation
The contentious spectacle on the House floor followed a more orderly adjournment in the Senate.
Senators voted to approve House changes to three bills Tuesday including Senate Bill 7086 that requires court clerks file information for background checks electronically within 72 business hours instead of 30 days and Senate Bill 7085 that requires handgun safety courses to contain instruction on safe firearms storage, expands a program to provide free firearm locks to Tennessee residents, creates a campaign to encourage gun lock use, and exempts firearm safes and firearm safety devices from sales taxes.
Additionally Senators approved House changes to Senate Bill 7089 that provides funding for the special session along with $12 million to fund retention bonuses for mental health workers, $4 million for behavioral health safety grants, $30 million for safety upgrades to higher education institutions, $50 million to provide additional support to community mental health agencies, and an extra $10 million to provide public charter schools with a school resource officer (SRO) this year and any public school without an SRO next year.
Both houses approved Senate Bill 7088 earlier in the session to require the TBI to submit an annual report on child and human trafficking crimes and trends.
The four bills still need approval from Governor Lee and Senators from both parties made remarks that they hope to revisit public safety in January.
“We’ll have other discussions in January about other empirical based measures that we can take to prevent violence, and I hope that we can move past some of the conjecture that’s not empirical,” said Senator Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun.
“I hope that we continue to put partisan politics aside, special interest groups aside, and let’s come together in between now and the start of January and come up with real solutions to reduce gun violence. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children in Tennessee,” said Senator London Lamar, D-Memphis.
