In
Part 2 of this video series, C. Richard Archie, TFA's West Tennessee Board Member, discusses how the language of
Tennessee Constitution
violates the Second and Fourteenth Amendments.
Some
Legislators have proposed and are supporting a Constitutional amendment
that would repeal the existing unconstitutional provision and
substitute the phrase
“That the citizens of this State have a right to keep, bear, and wear arms.” (See
Amendment 1 to
HJR0038 by Rep. Jay Reedy and
SJR0904 by Sen. John Stevens)
When we say "some", as of Monday, February 29, 2024, 43 House members (out of 99) have sponsored or co-sponsored the proposed constitutional amendment - but there are some notable omissions like Speaker Cameron Sexton, Speaker Pro Tempore Pat Marsh, and Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison just to name a few). On the Senate side is SJR0904. only six of the State's 33 Senators have sponsored or co-sponsored the resolution - by Sen. John
Stevens
, with co-sponsors Senators Bailey, Bowling, Hensley, Jackson, and Pody. Notably missing are Senate leadership including Lt. Governor McNally, Speaker Pro Tempore Ferrell Haile, Deputy Speaker Shane Reeves, and Deputy Speaker Dawn White.
Why are these members of leadership in both Houses and other elected members of the Legisalture not already signed on as co-sponsors to a proposal that merely makes the Tennessee Constitution compatible with the Second Amendment?
That is a question that their constituents need to be asking!The amendment would, at the state level, reinforce that
state legislators, local governments and others government decision
makers are constitutionally prohibited from engaging in any “interest
balancing” that the Supreme Court has said the Second Amendment
prohibits.
