By Zoë Richards -
NBC News
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, signed an executive order on Tuesday that strengthens background checks for gun purchases and asked the state General Assembly to pass the equivalent of a red flag law.
The move comes just a week after House Republicans expelled two of three Democratic lawmakers who protested gun violence following the shooting at a Nashville school that left three students and three adults dead in late March.
Lee told a news conference that the measure will allow information sharing to "more closely ensure the safe and legal purchase of firearms in Tennessee," arguing that the rule was necessary to address gaps in existing gun laws. .
Photos of the victims of the attack in Nashville, Tennessee, at a memorial near the school where the shooting occurred.Getty Images
"Our current law is proven and effective in many circumstances, especially with regard to domestic violence, but this new, stronger protection order will provide the general population with coverage, security, from those who pose a danger to themselves or for the population," said the governor.
Red flag laws, similar in scope to protective order laws, allow authorities to temporarily seize firearms from individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others.
Last year, President Joe Biden signed a historic bipartisan gun measure, which included grants to states for red flag laws.
Police confirmed that the person who carried out the Nashville school shooting on March 27 was in treatment for "emotional problems" but was still able to legally buy guns that he later hid at his parents' house.
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For now it is unknown if the Legislature, in which the Republicans have a majority, will address such a bill during the current session.
Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, who is also president of the Senate, endorsed Lee's initiative.
“I unequivocally support the Second Amendment and believe that an armed and law-abiding citizenry is the greatest defense against criminality and tyranny.
But I also believe that we must take steps to ensure that people experiencing mental crises do not have access to weapons that could be used in casualty incidents," McNally said in a statement.
"I think it's possible to protect the constitutional rights of law-abiding gun owners while keeping guns out of the reach of people experiencing serious mental health crises," he said.
The speaker of the state House of Representatives, Cameron Sexton, affirmed that "the House is ready to work towards bipartisan solutions to protect all children in their schools, in their communities and within their homes."
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Tension in Tennessee over gun control laws has escalated in recent weeks after Democratic lawmakers Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson, both black, were expelled from the General Assembly last week for participating in a protest. in the chamber against gun violence after the tragedy at the Nashville school.
A third Democratic representative, Gloria Johnson, who is white, survived her ouster vote.
Jones was reinstated Monday following a Nashville town hall vote and the Shelby County Commission is expected to hold a similar process for Pearson on Wednesday.
Asked at the news conference about the removals of Jones and Pearson, which put the state in the national spotlight, Lee declined to comment, saying instead that lawmakers were operating in an "emotionally charged environment" following the mass shooting of the last month.
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"We must work to put our differences aside and achieve something Tennesseans want us to achieve," he said.
The governor's spokeswoman, Jade Byers, denied to NBC News that the executive order stems from the controversy that has surrounded the General Assembly in recent days.
"It is a response to the tragic school shooting that claimed six precious lives, including three children who were only nine years old," she clarified.
Lee has been promoting bipartisan solutions for "almost two weeks," Byers insisted in a statement, noting that the governor had previously asked the General Assembly for a legislative proposal to ensure that people who are a threat to themselves or to the public do not have access to weapons.
A week after the mass shooting, Lee and legislative leaders proposed measures and funding to arm school resource officers in the state's public schools.
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Lee's executive order requires that criminal history and mental health information be included in Tennessee's Instant Verification System within 72 hours, or that information be provided to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Courts will be required to submit similar information to the background check system.
The order also asks the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to review the current process for purchasing firearms and issue a report within 60 days.
“If changes are needed, we can make them,” Lee admitted.