Breaking impasse, Tennessee lawmakers adjourn tumultuous session spurred by school shooting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee lawmakers on Tuesday abruptly ended a special session initially touted to improve public safety in the wake of a deadly elementary school shooting, but it quickly unraveled into chaos over the past week as the GOP-dominant Statehouse refused to take up gun control measures and instead spent most of the time ensnared in political infighting. Ultimately, lawmakers could only agree to pass four bills, which in part encourage but don’t require using safe gun storage devices; require an annual human trafficking report; add the governor’s existing order on background checks into state law; and increase funding for mental health and K-12 and higher education safety initiatives. “And that’s important.” As the special session neared, Lee largely stopped mentioning his “extreme risk protection order” proposal and instead stressed that lawmakers would work to improve public safety and mental health services. Lawmakers also approved $30 million for higher education safety grants for public and private colleges and universities; $50 million for grants to community mental health agencies; $12.1 million for retention bonuses for behavioral health state employees; $10 million more for K-12 school safety grants; $4 million for the mental health safety net; and $3 million for behavioral health scholarships.