A chasm remains in the legislative push for stricter gun control laws in Tennessee after two Black lawmakers part of the Tennessee Three were expelled for protesting gun violence in the state.
Republican state lawmakers are making moves to shorten the original time frame of the current legislative session. According to Democratic Tennessee Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari, the session was initially slated to conclude by the end of April.
“Now we are going to pass our budget next week, a couple of days earlier than we thought,” Akbari told theGrio.
As the window quickly closes to pass gun control measures, the Memphis senator acknowledged, “Right now, we don’t have a bill before us that Republicans have agreed on for gun safety or reform.”
The Tennessee Democratic caucus has proposed five bills, including a ban on assault weapons, a new red flag law, raising the age to 21 to purchase a firearm, and establishing gun permits and background checks.
Earlier in the week, there was an expectation of “great progress” in this remaining month of the Tennessee legislature, according to Democratic State Rep. Yusuf Hakeem of Hamilton County on stiffening gun laws there.
Hakeem told theGrio that there was a glimmer of hope as the political pressure from the White House and the court of public opinion appeared to move Republican leadership to be open to some action on gun reform.
Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to the state last week as the gun control issue melded into an issue of race when Reps. Justin J. Pearson and Justin Jones – both Black and in their 20s – were expelled from the legislative body for protesting on the floor for stricter gun laws.
Both were reinstated by their districts earlier this week.
During her remarks at Fisk University, Harris slammed arguments long used by Republicans for not passing meaningful gun reform.
“Let’s…
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