On Tuesday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) issued a formal proclamation calling for a special session of the General Assembly to consider measures to enhance public safety in response to mass violence. Mark Barden, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund, and father of Daniel, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in 2012, shared the following:
“After the tragic events at the Covenant School in March and in many Tennessee communities, the special session presents an opportunity for Governor Lee and the legislature to address some of the most devastating, persistent issues impacting Tennessee families, their health, and safety. We are heartened by the decision to hold the special session and look forward to productive, respectful debate and positive outcomes that will protect Tennessee children at home, at school, and in our communities.
“The special session represents a significant first step in protecting the children of Tennessee. Because gun violence isn’t inevitable; it is preventable. While no single solution exists, there are proven, sensible firearm access policies that enhance public safety. We urge the legislature to continue to consider possible solutions – including emergency temporary transfer, secure storage, and closing the stranger-to-stranger loophole – to prevent gun violence and tragedy. Such policies help to put firearms out of reach for those who are a danger to themselves and others or for those not legally allowed to have a firearm.
“I am all too aware of the toll of gun violence on families, schools, and communities. No one should have to go through the loss of a child to gun violence. This belief lies at the heart of Sandy Hook Promise’s mission and motivates me and my colleagues each day. After 10 years of work across the United States, we know the power of common ground, bipartisan collaboration, and consensus-building. We believe Tennesseans and their elected officials can come together to balance the values and traditions they hold dear: the safety of the public – especially children – and a culture of responsible, legal gun ownership.”
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The Sandy Hook Promise Action Fund (SHPAF) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization committed to protecting all children from gun violence in schools, homes, and communities. The SHP Action Fund advances a holistic policy platform that promotes gun safety, youth mental health, and violence prevention education. The organization works at the state and federal level to pass nonpartisan legislation through inclusive partnerships, diverse grassroots education, and community mobilization. It is part of Sandy Hook Promise, founded and led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012.
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