'That's permissive': TN bill does not require school faculty to disclose whether they have guns in classrooms

A Republican-backed bill allowing school faculty to carry guns in schools was passed in Tennessee during a hearing on Tuesday.

GOP Rep. Jay Moody, according to Fox 17 WZTV Nashville, proposed the legislation in January following the Virginia school shooting involving a 6-year-old child and his teacher.

This week, Tennessee legislators gathered to discuss the potential passing of the bill, which would ultimately "permit schools to adopt a policy that would allow select employees to carry firearms in classrooms."

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Heartland Signal shared a video from the hearing, tweeting, "During a hearing on a bill to allow school faculty to carry handguns on campus, TN State Rep. Antonio Parkinson (D) asks if teachers have to disclose (to anyone) that they are armed. Legislative staff clarifies they do not have to report anything. The bill passed committee."

Parkingson asked, "Under this bill, would the individual that's being authorized by law enforcement [to carry a firearm] have to notify the LEA that they have been approved by law enforcement to carry at the school? Does the bill specifically address that?"

Legislative attorney Elizabeth B. Insogna said, the bill "says that the employees name and other information may be disclosed to an administrative officer of the school district who is responsible for school facility security if the administrative officer is not the employee's immediate supervisor or supervisor responsible for evaluating the employee. And then that information must not be disclosed to any other person."

Parkinson followed up with a request for clarification.

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"Did you say 'may' or 'shall'"? the state congressman asked.

Insogna answered, "It may be disclosed to the administrative officer of the school district, and then it shall not be disclosed to any other person."

Parkinson replied, "So it's not even mandatory that the school district knows who's carrying a gun inside of their schools, because it says 'may,' not 'shall.'"

The attorney asserted, "That's permissive."

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Watch the video below or at this link.

Fox 17 WZTV Nashville's full report is available at this link.