Jon Blankenship

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Nashville, Tenn. — Following Gov. Bill Lee’s announcement of a Special Session of the Tennessee General Assembly to Discuss Firearm Safety Solutions, Voices for a Safer Tennessee released the following statement:

“We applaud Governor Bill Lee’s call for a special session of the Tennessee General Assembly on Aug. 21 to discuss solutions for keeping Tennessee communities safe. Polling continues to highlight the substantial common ground among Tennesseans of all political viewpoints for meaningful firearm safety solutions, and this special session will make more room for our elected officials to respond to the voices of their constituents. We will be using the coming months to activate more voices across the state and engage in productive dialogue with our legislators about bipartisan legislation that will help make Tennessee safer.”

About Voices for a Safer Tennessee

We are a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition dedicated to prioritizing common-sense gun safety laws and promoting responsible gun ownership to make communities across our state safer. We came together as neighbors, friends, colleagues, and community members following the tragic events of March 27, 2023, at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn. to launch a nonpartisan, statewide coalition to build a safer future for Tennesseans. Together, we are leading conversations, sharing diverse perspectives, and finding commonality to champion change that is agreed upon by people across the aisle. Learn more at safertn.org.

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Friday, April 21, 2023

Nashville, Tenn — Following the adjournment of the Tennessee General Assembly from its 2023 session, Voices for a Safer Tennessee released the following statement:

“As the Tennessee General Assembly adjourns from its 2023 session, Voices for a Safer Tennessee (Safer TN) wants to first and foremost commend Governor Bill Lee for his leadership and courage in urging our lawmakers to “set aside politics and personal pride [and] to do the right thing,” and for proposing new gun safety bill language for the legislature to consider. This was an important first step. We also thank the legislators who offered their time to meet with Safer TN representatives. We are encouraged by the many productive conversations that took place over the last few weeks, and we look forward to continuing to work with legislators and Governor Lee to further advance their important efforts to better protect our children and our communities.”

“While we had hoped the General Assembly would act more quickly and discuss the proposed legislation during its regularly scheduled session, we respect that many of our legislators need and want more time to educate themselves on how other states have conservatively but successfully protected Second Amendment rights while also protecting citizens. We are pleased that a special session to discuss firearm safety will be convened, and Safer TN will be actively facilitating and participating in further conversations with our lawmakers to ensure that effective measures are taken this year to prevent more unnecessary loss of lives.”

“Alongside Safer TN, we are confident our elected officials will continue to hear from their constituents – including the majority of Tennessee Republicans who polled as supporting extreme risk laws (71%), closing background check loopholes (73%), and safe storage laws (68%). We are parents, neighbors, teachers, and Tennessee voters who are working together toward meaningful change.”

About Voices for a Safer Tennessee

We are a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition dedicated to prioritizing common-sense gun safety laws and promoting responsible gun ownership to make communities across our state safer. We came together as neighbors, friends, colleagues and community members following the tragic events of March 27, 2023, at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn. to launch a nonpartisan, statewide coalition to build a safer future for Tennesseans. Together, we are leading conversations, sharing diverse perspectives and finding commonality to champion change that is agreed upon by people across the aisle. Learn more at safertn.org.

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