Press Release

Voices for a Safer Tennessee Celebrates Key Milestones Following Legislative Session

Nashville, TN (April 2025) — Voices for a Safer Tennessee (Safer TN) is proud to reflect on a powerful 90-day sprint through the 2025 legislative session, marked by widespread public engagement, strategic partnerships, and important policy wins that move the needle toward a safer Tennessee.

Over the past three months, Safer TN has achieved several key milestones:

• Delivered public safety presentations at nearly 15 civic clubs across Tennessee.
• Launched a statewide billboard campaign promoting the life-saving message of secure firearm storage.
• Surpassed $2 million raised over two years, demonstrating the breadth of support for firearm safety and fueling continued advocacy and outreach efforts.

In addition to our education and outreach, Safer TN continued our work at the state Capitol. We helped stop several dangerous bills that would have increased public risk or weakened safety in places like schools, hospitals, and houses of worship. This outcome reflects the growing bipartisan support for safety measures and increased accountability for those who threaten or commit acts of firearm violence.

Safer TN also worked with with several law enforcement agencies to advocate for:

• Banning Glock switches, which convert handguns into fully automatic weapons
• Prohibiting felons from possessing ammunition
• Stronger sentencing for drive-by shooting convictions
• Criminalizing threats of mass violence

“We are grateful to Leader William Lamberth, Speaker Cameron Sexton, Governor Lee’s administration, and members of the Tennessee General Assembly for their leadership in advancing this critical legislation, which passed with strong support from both Democrats and Republicans,” said Safer TN Board Chair Todd Cruse. “These are meaningful victories for public safety and important progress toward preventing firearm tragedies in our communities.

“We’re proud of the momentum we’ve built and ready to keep fighting for a safer, stronger Tennessee.”

Safer TN Launches Billboard Campaign To Help Prevent Accidental Shootings

Tennessee Ranks 3rd in the Nation for Accidental Shootings by Children

Nashville, TN – April 7, 2025 – Voices for a Safer Tennessee (Safer TN) launched a new billboard campaign Monday to help raise awareness about the dangers of unsecured firearms. With more than 21 accidental shootings reported across Tennessee so far this year, the campaign urges gun owners to secure their firearms when not in use.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that firearms be locked and unloaded when not in use, with ammunition stored separately. The NRA’s recommendation is to “ALWAYS Keep your Gun Unloaded Until Ready To Use.”

“It is crucial that your firearm is stored unloaded and locked away to prevent a tragedy,” said Todd Cruse, Safer TN’s Board Chair. “As a gun owner and a dad, I know how curious children can be. A single moment of access can lead to devastating consequences.”

Additionally, keys and lock combinations should be kept out of reach of children, adolescents, and individuals at an elevated risk of self-harm or harm to others.

In addition to advocating for policies that keep Tennesseans safer, Safer TN has increased its educational activities over the past six months, focusing on how responsible gun owners can exercise  their Second Amendment  rights and also keep their families, friends, and communities safe. 

The campaign will run through June 7. 

Billboard locations:

• I-24 W/S, 0.50 mi north of Wilma Rudolph Boulevard, north facing (Clarksville)
• I-24 N/S, 0.30 mi west of Waldron Road, west facing (Rutherford County traffic)
• I-65 E/S, 0.20 mi south of Due West Ave, north facing (Sumner County traffic)
• Broadway N/S at West End Avenue, east facing (The Nashville Sign)
• Myatt Drive E/S, 0.80 mi south of Gallatin Pike, S/F
• Myatt Drive E/S, 0.80 mi south of Gallatin Pike, N/F
• I-24 N/S, 0.50 mi west of Waldron Rd, E/F
• West End Avenue N/S, at 18th Avenue S., W/F

“I have yet to find anything where my kid doesn’t know where it is. They will find it one way or another. Whether that’s the TV remote you’re hiding or a tool in the garage that you don’t want them to play with, they are very craft when it comes to finding things they want to find or stumble across something they’ve never seen before and then being curious about it and exploring it. That is why it is so important we securely store our firearms.”

“If we are serious about reversing these data trends, secure storage is one of the easiest and most logical ways to keep kids from accidentally accessing firearms.”

“If you saw that a child could just easily access a firearm and take a life or ruin a life in any given moment, in a split second. That‘s what I hope people think about and they think to take the next step and securely store their firearm.”

Evelyn’s Ways to Be Kind

November 28, 2024

In January 2023, my 9-year-old daughter Evelyn created a list of ways to spread kindness. Tragically, her mission was cut short when a shooter attacked her Nashville elementary school just two months later.

This holiday season, I invite you to honor Evelyn’s vision by choosing one act from her list—because even small gestures can make a big difference in our world.

How to Participate:

1. Choose one of Evelyn’s acts of kindness to complete with your family, friends, or on your own.
2. Acts of kindness can transform us in ways we didn’t expect. If you feel comfortable, share a video of your act on social media.
3. Tag @voices4safertn on Instagram or Voices for a Safer Tennessee on Facebook, and use #EvelynsKindnessMission to inspire others.

Together, let’s create a ripple of kindness that reaches far and wide.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 27, 2024

For More Information, Contact Kelly Brockman, kelly@mcneelybrockmanpr.com

NASHVILLE – Voices for a Safer Tennessee (Safer TN) welcomes two recent national firearm safety developments that represent positive steps toward reducing preventable firearm tragedies.

“We are encouraged by the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that temporarily removing access to firearms for those who pose a credible threat is constitutional and consistent with the Second Amendment,” said Todd Cruse, chair of Safer TN’s Board of Directors. “The decision in United States v. Rahimi reverses a dangerous ruling that would have allowed those with domestic violence restraining orders to be armed.”

 “We also recognize the importance of this week’s advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General, which declares firearm violence in America to be a public health crisis that requires the nation’s immediate awareness and action,” said Cruse.

“These two landmark developments underscore the policy solutions Safer TN has been advocating since its inception – temporary transfer laws, background checks on every firearm transaction, and secure storage of firearms,” he said.

Firearms are the #1 cause of death for Tennessee children (ages 1-17), and Tennessee ranks #3 in the nation for accidental shootings by children. More die from firearms than from traffic accidents for the first time in history, he added. 

Both the high court ruling and the Surgeon General’s advisory cited large amounts of data to support their decisions (link to graphics of stats developed yesterday). “This is consistent with Safer TN’s emphasis on policy making based on data and evidence,” Cruse said.

The 8-1 Supreme Court ruling in a case involving domestic violence held that if a person had been found to pose a credible threat by a court of law, they could be temporarily disarmed without violating the Second Amendment’s overall right to bear arms.

The Surgeon General’s declaration said gun violence requires a public health approach similar to those involving safety belts for automobiles, pesticide approvals, and antismoking campaigns. It highlights the importance of securely storing firearms and expanding background checks.

Safer TN Advisory Board member Senator Bill Frist, MD, a heart and lung transplant surgeon and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader, wrote of these significant firearm safety decisions:

“This moment calls for action. The Supreme Court has made clear we have the ability to protect our communities from those who pose a threat to themselves or others. The Surgeon General has laid out a clear case of why we must act. We have the tools to address this public health crisis – now we must do the hard work of putting them to use.”

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