Governor’s Extraordinary Session on Public Safety Concludes
By State Senator Page Walley
On Tuesday, August 29, 2023, our General Assembly concluded Governor Lee’s extraordinary session on public safety and accomplished the business he called us in to address. In the special session, we continued efforts to prioritize investments in mental health and school safety and approved the majority of the governor’s legislative package. The new laws passed aim to enhance public safety by encouraging responsible gun ownership, speeding up the background check process for purchasing firearms and addressing human trafficking.
Over 100 additional bills were filed for the special session. Given the volume and complexity of this additional legislation, lawmakers agreed any issues outside the governor’s legislative package would be more appropriately addressed in the regular session starting in January to provide more time for stakeholder input and public testimony. Many of us have committed to continue the important conversations and legislative work prompted by the special session.
Investing in school security and mental health
In the special session, we invested over $100 million in school security and mental health. The General Assembly continued efforts to enhance school security by investing an additional $10 million in grants for School Resource Officers (SRO) and School Safety Officers (SSO). Following the Covenant School attack in March 2023, we passed comprehensive measures to strengthen security at public and private schools across Tennessee and invested $223 million to improve school safety, including $140 million to put a School Resource Officer in every public school.
Additional investments made during the special session to enhance public safety and strengthen mental health included:
● $30 million for campus security upgrades at public higher education institutions
● $50 million for grants to licensed community mental health agencies to improve mental health services
● $4 million for the Behavioral Health Safety Net which provides mental health services to low-income, uninsured Tennesseans
● $12 million to the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) to provide sign on and retention bonuses to prospective and current behavioral health professionals
● $3 million to TDMHSAS to provide a behavioral health scholarship program
Encouraging responsible gun ownership
As part of the governor’s legislative package, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 7085 to encourage the safe storage of firearms to prevent thefts and accidents. The legislation eliminates the sales tax on firearm safes and safety devices to reduce financial barriers for practicing safe storage. It also creates a public awareness campaign to promote firearm safety and responsible gun ownership.
Speeding up reporting of criminal and mental health history to the TBI
To speed up the background check process for purchasing firearms, the General Assembly approved Senate Bill 7086, which codifies Governor Bill Lee’s Executive Order 100, issued on April 11 of this year to enhance protective procedures for the purchase of firearms. The legislation expedites the reporting of criminal history and court mental health information which is reviewed as part of the background check required to purchase firearms. The bill changes the reporting requirement for court clerks to report criminal and mental health history to the TBI’s Tennessee Instant Check System (TICS) from 30 days to 72 hours. TICS keeps track of those convicted of felonies, adjudicated as mentally defective or involuntarily committed. The system has been working well since the new rules went into effect.
Fighting human trafficking
To aid in our continued fight against human trafficking, the Senate approved Senate Bill 7088 which requires the TBI to issue an annual report on the agency’s efforts to fight human trafficking. The first report is due on December 1, 2023, and it will be provided to the Governor and the speakers of the Senate and House.
These reports will be an important tool for us when contemplating further legislation to combat child and human trafficking in our state. For over a decade Tennessee has been a leader in the recognition and identification of victims of human trafficking. In 2013, the TBI issued a comprehensive report on the statistics and issues facing human trafficking throughout our state. Since 2011, the General Assembly has passed several bills to crack down on human trafficking throughout the state and protect victims.
I am grateful to our district’s citizens who came to Nashville, called, and wrote to express their views and participate in their government. You made a difference. As we approach the 2024 regular session in January, I will be continuing my community visits and regular updates to hear from you on these and other issues before us. Tennessee is a great state, but we must always strive to make it even greater. Thank you and may God bless Tennessee and our district.
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