NASHVILLE - Last summer's shooting rampage that left five U.S. military service members dead in Chattanooga was on the minds of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and the General Assembly during the 2016 legislative session.
Lawmakers took a variety of actions, ranging from paying tribute to the U.S. Marines and Naval reservist killed in Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez' assault to providing in-state college tuition rates for the victims' children.
Other steps included extending the state's Fallen Heroes Medal to service members who are victims of terrorism and providing $1.58 million in the coming fiscal year to beef up security at Tennessee National Guard recruiting stations and armories.
And National Guard members with state handgun-carry permits, who were authorized last year to bring their firearms into state military facilities, will have both civil immunity and legal representation under newly passed bill.
Four Marines - Staff Sgt. David Wyatt, Gunnery Sgt. Thomas Sullivan, Lance Cpl. Squire "Skip" Wells and Sgt. Carson Holmquist - and Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Randall Smith were killed at the Marine Service Center on Amnicola Highway in the July 16 attack. That attack came after Abdulazeez sprayed bullets into a U.S. military recruiting center on Lee Highway.
Abdulazeez was killed by Chattanooga police at the reserve center.
FBI Director James Comey later said the attack was "inspired and motivated by foreign terrorist propaganda."
State lawmakers also passed a resolution urging the U.S. Navy Secretary to name the next commissioned naval ship the "USS Chattanooga" in honor of the victims.