Brian Wilson, the radio host on Nashville’s 99.7 FM, had Speaker Cameron Sexton on his show on Monday, March 29, 2021, during which they discussed at length the status of the Governor’s Bill (Senate Bill 765 / House Bill 786) which is set to be debated on the House Floor tonight.
Brian Wilson specifically asked about the status of the bill as well as the proposed amendments that TFA has been asking House members to offer to significantly improve the bill to the point that any person who can legally possess a firearm in Tennessee could carry it. One concern has been that even if the amendments were offered that procedural shenanigans in the House might be invoked to shut down the proposed amendments with no debate, consideration or vote on the merits.
Speaker Cameron Sexton indicates in the interview with Brian Wilson that he, as Speaker, expects that the amendments will be considered on the merits and that they will be “on the board” which is a reference to a roll call vote. He says that there will not be tabling motions on the amendments but there will be “up or down” votes on the proposed amendments. This indicates that the calls and efforts of TFA members has been having a strong influence!
Speaker Sexton said he expects that there will be 58 to 62 votes for the Governor’s bill without amendments and potentially approximately 10 Republicans are expected to vote against even the Governor’s bill.
Speaker Sexton did express a concern that the Democrats might try to put some “poison” amendments on the bill to kill it. But, with only 26 Democrats they could not put a “poison” amendment on the Governor’s bill unless all of them support it and at least 25 Republicans to vote with the Democrats to adopt the “poison” amendment. If there are that many Republicans in the House caucus who oppose the clear mandate of the Second Amendment, we need to know who they are. Speaker Cameron Sexton would do Second Amendment advocates and the Republican party a huge favor by identifying them and helping voters prune the tree of the GOP to make sure it has fewer elected officials who cannot stomach the levels of freedom and liberty that the Second Amendment mandates.
Keep the calls coming. If you can, come to the Legislature tonight and be seen observing and supporting, respectfully, those legislators who are offering the TFA amendments from the floor!
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