Tennessee lawmakers worked to loosen gun laws in the weeks before Nashville's deadly Covenant School shooting

• In the weeks before the Covenant school shooting, Tennessee lawmakers tried to loosen gun laws.
• Legislation moving through committees would lower the minimum age for carrying guns from 21 to 18.

Tennessee lawmakers were working to loosen gun control laws in the state in the weeks leading up to Monday's mass school shooting in Nashville.

Legislation moving through General Assembly committees would lower the minimum age for carrying guns from 21 to 18, which is the minimum age to possess a handgun in the state.

The House version of the bill would allow for the open or concealed carrying of any firearm, not just handguns. That could include AR-15 rifles or shotguns. The bill moving through the Senate, however, was reportedly amended to remove allowances for carrying long guns.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper, speaking on MSNBC Tuesday, said he hopes this is a moment in which the state can get back to "common sense" gun laws, particularly with regard to assault-style weapons.

AR-style weapons were reportedly used in the shooting that killed three 9-year-old students and three staff members at The Covenant School, a private Christian school in Nashville serving preschool students through sixth graders. The police killed the shooter, whom authorities identified as a 28-year-old.

"We've been reversing the common sense restrictions that used to exist, and interestingly, it's the police officers in Tennessee that have been leading the charge of awareness for how much more dangerous their work is, and how many more gun crimes are being related to the ubiquity of guns in Tennessee," Cooper said.

Both bills are still moving through committees and would have to be reconciled before going to the governor for his signature. The bills' lead sponsors did not respond to interview requests.

Tennessee's gun laws are already considered lax. In 2021, the state legislature passed a bill allowing those 21 and older to carry loaded handguns in public, openly or concealed, without requiring a permit. The minimum permitless carry age is 18 for active military members or those who are honorably discharged.

Guidance on the Memphis Police Department's website, however, urges citizens to seek a permit, regardless, making clear law enforcement's concerns about the law.

"The current law does not mandate citizens to complete a safety or training course; therefore, many citizens will not know what to do when interacting with law enforcement. This poses a serious safety concern for both the citizens and law enforcement," the statement says.