Tenn. lawmakers' race to adjourn complicates gun safety push

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Tennessee lawmakers on Monday kicked off a rushed effort to adjourn by the end of the week, looking for an exit from a session that has been eclipsed by the fallout of the Republican supermajority expelling two young Black Democrats and a growing push to pass some sort of gun restriction legislation. Last month, six people were gunned down at a Nashville private school — a tragedy which kicked off a stream of calls for changes to Tennessee’s gun laws, including a ban on assault weapons, tougher background checks and a “red flag” law. On Monday, Bishop William Barber II led a march to Tennessee's Capitol in Nashville, demanding lawmakers support gun safety legislation and stop using their authority to trample democracy. “The legislators are back, but returning duly elected lawmakers to their seat does not solve the problem,” Barber said, demanding that lawmakers “stop committing policy murder.” Also Monday, the head of the influential Southern Baptist’s public policy arm, Brent Leatherwood of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, sent a letter to lawmakers asking them to “put down the weapons of partisan warfare” and instead work with Gov.