Tennessee’s state legislators convened at the White House to discuss gun violence and prevention on Wednesday, December 13th.
According to White House officials, this was “the largest White House convening of state legislators to discuss gun violence prevention, and falls right before state legislative sessions kick off in 2024.”
Attendees included Sen.Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis,) Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis,) Rep. Karen Camper (D-Memphis), and Rep. Justin J. Pearson (D-Memphis,) among other state lawmakers.
Akbari, who also led a breakout session during the event, said that their goal is to “save lives by enacting common sense policies that stop gun violence and reduce violent crime rates.”
“In my hometown of Memphis, we have an urgent need to get illegal guns off the streets and there are great ideas from this convening that we will bring back to Tennessee to accomplish that goal,” said Akbari.
Earlier this year, data released by the Shelby County Crime Commission and Memphis Police Department revealed that more than 70 percent of Memphis’ reported crimes for the first three quarters of 2023 had involved guns. This was a 10 percent increase compared to the same time period in 2022.
Lamar, who also serves as Senate Democratic caucus chairwoman, said “whether they’re at home, school, work, or church, Tennesseans just want to feel safe from gun violence.”
“To make that a reality we have to break the cycles of violence terrorizing our communities and restore some common sense to our gun safety laws,” said Lamar. “The White House convening on gun violence prevention was all about equipping state legislators with policy tools to stop shootings before they happen, and I am looking forward to introducing legislation to get illegal guns off our streets and address the root causes of crime.”
During the meeting, legislators also heard from Vice President Kamala Harris, who oversees the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Harris briefed lawmakers on the Biden Administration’s “Safer States Initiative.”
According to officials, this initiative was designed to “combat gun violence at the state level.” The White House also released the “Biden-Harris Safer States Agenda.”
The agenda includes recommendations and key actions that states should take, such as establishing a state office of gun violence prevention, investing in evidence-informed solutions to prevent and respond to gun violence, and reinforcing responsible gun ownership.
Officials said in order to help states advance this agenda, the United States Justice Department has announced “two new executive actions to reduce gun violence.”
“The Safe Storage Model Legislation details how states can require the safe storage of firearms, including in vehicles, and hold individuals liable for harm caused by unsecured firearms,” reads a statement from the White House. “Lost and Stolen Firearms Reporting Model Legislation provides states with a framework for requiring that a person promptly report the loss or theft to law enforcement.”