Senate Judiciary Committee approves legislation upholding Second Amendment rights, while cracking down on criminals who steal guns or possess them illegally

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved legislation during the week of March 1st allowing Tennesseans to exercise their constitutional right to carry firearms without a permit, while cracking down on criminals who steal guns or possess them illegally. Senate Bill 765 will allow law-abiding citizens in Tennessee who are at least 21 years old, or are honorably discharged or active in the U.S. Armed Forces, National Guard or Reserves, to carry a firearm without a permit in a place where they are lawfully present. It is part of Governor Bill Lee’s legislative package.

Under the bill, those who carry without a permit must have no felony convictions, orders of protection in effect, pending charges or convictions for domestic violence or stalking, or have been adjudicated as a mental defective. In addition, individuals convicted of two DUI offenses within the last ten years or one in the last five years would not be eligible, as well as federal prohibitions which include illegal aliens and fugitives from justice.

The legislation also increases penalties for firearm-related crime to promote public safety including:

• Increasing the penalty for theft of a firearm to a Class E felony;

• Providing a sentencing enhancement for theft of a firearm in a car;

• Increasing the minimum sentence for theft of a firearm from 30 days to 180 days; and

• Increasing the sentences for unlawful possession of a firearm by violent felons and felony drug offenders, possession of a handgun by a felon, and unlawfully providing a handgun to a juvenile or allowing a juvenile to possess a handgun.

The legislation is similar to laws passed in 17 states, while 31 states recognize the right to carry openly. The bill now goes to the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for consideration before moving to the Senate floor for a final vote.

Teacher Discipline Act – Members of the Senate Education Committee voted on March 3rd to advance the “Teacher Discipline Act” which would establish a process for local school districts to enable a teacher to remove a student who causes repeated disruptions. Under Senate Bill 230, once the disruptive student is disciplined, principals could use their discretion to send them back into the classroom or permanently remove the child. The bill also allows teachers to file an appeal with a school’s director or local superintendent if they disagree with that decision. The legislation facilitates a better path for local directors to work with school officials to address issues impacting a disruptive student’s ability to learn. I was happy to sponsor and present this legislation to the education committee. I look forward to hopefully seeing it get passed on the Senate Floor in the upcoming weeks.

Removal of Common Core-Aligned Materials from Tennessee Classrooms – Legislation prohibiting the local selection of supplemental education materials that are aligned to Common Core by schools and districts in Tennessee was approved in the Senate Education Committee. Senate Bill 769 ,which I sponsor, closes a loophole by explicitly prohibiting the Tennessee Textbook Commission and the State Board of Education from approving or publishing a list of textbooks and instructional materials created to align exclusively with Common Core standards and marketed or identified as Common Core textbooks or materials. Furthermore, the bill prohibits individual Local Education Agencies (LEAs), schools, and teachers from using Common Core-aligned supplemental materials.

This legislation guarantees the complete removal of Common Core-aligned materials from the classroom, ensuring that students will be instructed using materials aligned to standards created by and for Tennesseans. The bill is part of Governor Bill Lee’s legislative priorities.

Contact Senator Hensley at

425 5th Avenue North, Suite 746

Nashville TN 37243

615-741-3100

Toll Free 1-800-449-8366

ext. 13100

Fax 615-253-0231

855 Summertown Highway

Hohenwald TN 38462

Phone 931-796-2018

Cell Phone 931-212-8823

E-mail:

[email protected]