"Absurd Theater Unfolds at Tennessee Capitol: Stockard on the Stump"

A special session called by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee in response to The Covenant School mass shooting turned into a bizarre scene at the Tennessee Capitol, with lawmakers doing little to address the issue of gun violence. Instead, the session resulted in complaints about a "do-nothing" Senate and the enactment of four bills that could have waited until January. Republican leaders wanted to pass bills addressing juvenile gun thefts and exempting autopsies of minors from public records, while Democrats criticized the lack of action on tighter gun storage laws and restrictions on military-style weapons. The session was marked by evictions, protests, and a standoff between the House and Senate.