What gun bills have been sent to the governor’s desk?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Guns have been a huge topic of debate on the tail end of this legislative session following The Covenant School shooting.

With lawmakers trying to head home by the end of this week, WSMV4 wanted to check and see which gun-related bills will actually go to the governor.

More than 75 bills related to firearms and ammunition were filed this legislative session, but only a handful will be sent to the governor.

This week, the senate passed SB0822. Sponsor Sen. Joey Hensley said the bill protects gun manufacturers from civil liability cases in which someone uses their weapon illegally.

“In some other states, they have become bankrupted defending themselves,” Hensley said.

Hensley, a Republican, said it will now go to the governor’s desk and expects it to become law.

Hensley said it does not completely shield companies.

“Anything they do illegally, if it is advertising or selling to people they shouldn’t be, they will be held to the fullest extent of the law,“ Hensley said. “This bill does not protect them.”

Rep. Bill Beck, D-Nashville, voted against it.

“If it is a defective gun and shoots you instead of the target, they will be immune from any type of lawsuit,” Beck said.

Another gun-related bill that has been sent to the governor allows a person to carry a handgun while hunting under certain circumstances without a handgun carry permit.

The third bill sent to the governor, that has been signed and will go into effect in July, allows long-time retired law enforcement officers who now work part-time on college campuses to be armed.

“After Covenant, we need to put a feeling out there or policies out there that we are not strictly a gun-loving state,” Beck said. “Reasonable gun laws are what we need.”

Beck said he would like to see red flag laws, as well as laws about safe storage of firearms, come out of this session.

WSMV4 asked Hensley if he thinks the gun-related bills passed so far are adequate.

“I don’t know,” Hensley said. “That will be up to the General Assembly to determine if other things need to happen.”

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