Well, they can’t say they didn’t warn us.
Several Tennessee lawmakers said in the lead-up to the just-concluded special session of the state legislature that nothing of substance involving guns, least of all an order of protection bill suggested by Gov. Bill Lee following the March shooting that killed six at Nashville’s Covenant School, would be passed. And they were right.
Sure, $81 million was appropriated related to mental health, schools and a relative pittance for a public safety campaign for safe gun storage. But no laws were considered that would likely have made any difference in the actions of the Covenant shooter or in the prevention of her actions.
Oh, some might say a portion of the mental health money might have made a difference if it had found a way to services the shooter engaged with at some point, but that is a stretch.
Lee, as expected, had to put the best face on the session.