Tennessee Governor Bill Lee Proposes $140M To Arm Teachers & School Guards With Guns

Governor Bill Lee Proposes $140M To Arm Teachers & School Guards With Guns

As thousands of people marched on the Capitol on Monday calling for gun reform, Gov. Bill Lee revealed new details of a plan to funnel millions into hardening school security at Tennessee schools but would not commit to supporting gun access reform this year.

Flanked by Republican lawmakers a week after the deadly shooting at The Covenant School, Lee outlined a new budget proposal that could pass within weeks to increased armed security at public schools and provide for school security upgrades at public and private schools.

The governor was pressed repeatedly on Monday if he would support an extreme protection order — or “red flag,” law — which can temporarily prohibit a person from possessing or purchasing a firearm if they’re civilly found to be a threat to themselves or others.

 

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Lee avoided answering the question directly, only saying he was open to considering a range of solutions brought by lawmakers. “Today is the next step , but it is not the last step,” Lee said.

Lee on Friday told The Tennessean “individuals who are a threat to themselves or to others shouldn’t have access to weapons.”

The budget proposal includes: $30 million to expand a Homeland Security network to monitor schools threats. $140 million to establish a School Resource Officer (SRO) grant fund to place a trained, armed security guard at every public school. $20 million for public school security upgrades. $7 million for private school security upgrades. $8 million for additional school-based behavioral health liaisons across the state.

“There is a desire to find a way forward that protects kids in schools, and in a better way than we have,” Lee said. “We care very much about them coming home safely, and we will work together to find agreement on a way to move forward.”