The order, according to the Tennessean, “aimed at strengthening background checks for firearm purchases.” It mandated that new mental health information from a court and criminal activity reports be forwarded to the Tennessee Instant Check System within 72 hours.
That system is operated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The TBI is also ordered to provide a report to the governor’s office and the General Assembly in two months on “any barriers to complete, accurate, and timely reporting of information that is accessible in TICS.”
Lee said the state’s present instant background check system for acquiring a weapon “only works when there is accurate and timely information that’s available.”
The Republican governor told local media just days after the deadliest school shooting in Tennessee history that people who present a danger to themselves or others should not be able to obtain weapons. He repeated that stand later when speaking with legislative leaders in Nashville on a program of school safety proposals.
Lee’s school safety package targeted hardening facilities against possible assaults and received bipartisan support within the state House last week.
Forbes reported that the shooter on March 27 would not have been prevented from purchasing weapons as they did not have a criminal record. The changes would not have affected the transactions.
Lee also urged the Tennessee legislature to pass a “red flag” law. This drew a celebration from gun control activist David Hogg, who tweeted that “this is progress. When we organize, we win. We must keep the pressure on and make sure this law and others are passed.”
The governor spoke to journalists at a Nashville police precinct. “I’m asking the General Assembly to bring forward an order of protection law,” he announced. “A new, strong order of protection law will provide the broader population cover, safety, from those who are a danger to themselves or the population.”
The governor added that “this is our moment to lead and to give the people of Tennessee what they deserve.
There is no immediate word of support from state lawmakers for his “red flag” proposal. One prominent legislator, House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R) of Crossville, expressed concerns that due process rights would not be properly addressed.
Background checks are essential to keeping firearms out of the hands of violent criminals and those who may harm themselves. Gun control advocates are at the forefront of these safety measures if they do not infringe on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. It is also imperative that they are timely and do not place an undue burden on the consumer.
“Red flag” laws are another area where gun rights advocates and the anti-gun lobby find common ground. The issue comes when constitutional rights to due process are not observed, and some states have statutes that do not afford this protection.
No one wants to keep firearms out of the wrong hands more than the gun industry. The means, however, must be constitutional and not so vague that they block the law-abiding public from exercising their liberties.
The White House and several members of Congress want to go far beyond what Gov. Lee signed this week. The knee jerk reaction by many on Capitol Hill is to immediately push for a ban on so-called “assault weapons” and “high-capacity magazines.”
These were instituted in the past without an effect on violent crime. Stripping guns away from tens of millions of upstanding Americans is not going to solve anything.
