On the day the state law became effective, local elected officials Monday touted recently passed legislation that will bar gun ownership for those with a criminal history consisting of several misdemeanors.
The law, dubbed the Chris Wright Act, allows local district attorneys to consider a misdemeanor offense a felony under certain circumstances, largely involving repeat offenses.
According to the text of the law, eligible misdemeanor offenses include domestic assault, child abuse, driving under the influence, theft and vandalism, among many others.
The law, passed by the state legislature in April and signed by Gov. Bill Lee in May, was in response to Wright, a Chattanooga native, being shot and killed in downtown Chattanooga in September.
According to witnesses, Wright and Darryl Roberts had a dispute before Roberts allegedly fired his gun.